London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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| Designation | Samples examined | T.B. Bacillus isolated | T.B. Bacillus NOT isolated | Test not completed* | Percentage positive of completed tests | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | 1958 | 1957 | 1958 | 1957 | 1958 | 1957 | 1958 | 1957 | 1958 | |
| Ordinary | 43 | 28 | — | 1 | 38 | 24 | 5 | 3 | — | 4-0 |
| Tuberculin tested | 30 | 136 | — | — | 23 | 130 | 7 | 6 | — | — |
| do. (farm bottled) | ||||||||||
| Total | 73 | 164 | — | 1 | 61 | 154 | 12 | 9 | — | 0-64 |
* Guinea pigs died before completion of test or milk curdled.
| 1957 | 1958 | |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid milk, samples taken by boroughs and county councils | 1,162 | 947 |
| Number found to be unsatisfactory | 3 | 7 |
| Dried milk, samples submitted to bacteriological examination | 4 | 4 |
No samples contained more than 100,000 organisms per gramme, nor was staphylococcus aureus
isolated.
| 1957 | 1958 | |
|---|---|---|
| Reports of infestation by a variety of pests | 178 | 190 |
| Visits and re-inspections involved | 294 | 347 |
| Inspections of school meals centres | 420 | 375 |
| Investigations of illness following consumption of school meals | 15 | 12 |
| Occasions when the meal was found to be the cause | 2 | 3 |
Blind and partially-sighted persons
During the year, 1,637 examinations—148 less than in the previous year—were made in
connection with certification under the National Assistance Act, 1948, of blind or
partially-sighted persons. 35 persons were found to be neither blind nor partiallysighted.
In addition, 451 certificates were accepted from other local authorities, hospitals
and private ophthalmologists—117 more than the previous year. The percentage of
new registrations recommended to obtain treatment increased from 53-8 per cent,
to 59-6 per cent.
The results of examinations of persons newly registered during the year are given
in Tables (i) and (ii).