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
City of London 1921
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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28
OCCUPATION OF PERSONS UNDER TREATMENT FOR
VENEREAL DISEASES.
In 1919 I submitted to the Sanitary Committee particulars as to the occupations
followed by patients under treatment for Venereal Diseases and recommended
that it should be made illegal for persons suffering from these diseases to be engaged
in such occupations as the preparation of foodstuffs. The list of persons then
submitted was only a small one (104 patients) as the Special Treatment Centre had
not been long established.
In February of this year, however, I was able to prepare a very much more
comprehensive list, showing the occupations of over 1,100 patients. This has now
been added to by including the occupations of 570 males and 188 females, making
a total of 1911.
Table showing Occupations followed by 1,469 Males known to be suffering from Venereal Diseases.
| Occupations. | Number. | Occupations. | Number. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery Assistants | 2 | Brought forward | 680 | |
| Confectionery Factory | 2 | Civil Service | 20 | |
| Bakers | 2 | Butchers | 9 | |
| Milkmen | 2 | Fish shops | 1 | |
| Cooks | 5 | Waiters | 11 | |
| Clerks | 199 | Domestics (valets, house.keepers, etc.) | 18 | |
| Post Office | 38 | Salesmen | 25 | |
| Medical Profession | 1 | Teachers | 6 | |
| Independent | 20 | Students | 12 | |
| Travellers | 63 | Gardeners | 4 | |
| Opticians | 2 | Engineers | 39 | |
| Electrical | 18 | Gunsmith | 1 | |
| Surveyors | 2 | Chemists | 3 | |
| Rubber planter | 1 | Photographers | 3 | |
| Inventor | 1 | Farmers | 2 | |
| Furriers | 28 | Tailors | 55 | |
| Sailors | 56 | Soldiers | 9 | |
| Carmen | 41 | Engaged in motor work | 49 | |
| Porters | 71 | Labourers | 331 | |
| Firemen | 10 | Policemen | 25 | |
| Fitters | 3 | Printers | 28 | |
| Railway workers | 8 | Machinists | 5 | |
| Cellarmen | 11 | Miners | 2 | |
| Tobacco | 3 | Electric work | 8 | |
| Painters | 15 | Carpenters | 34 | |
| Plumbers | 2 | Bricklayers | 11 | |
| Watchmakers | 2 | Metal workers | 12 | |
| Glass work | 2 | Picture work | 1 | |
| Hat work | 5 | Pen work | 1 | |
| Brush work | 1 | Aircraft work | 1 | |
| Dockers | 9 | Brokers | 6 | |
| Boots and matches | 9 | Straw roller | 1 | |
| Drapers | 1 | Books | 3 | |
| Dealers | 11 | Hawkers | 7 | |
| Ironmongers | 6 | Iron founders | 6 | |
| Timekeeper | 1 | Hairdressers | 18 | |
| Laundry | 2 | Enameller | 1 | |
| Tram and bus | 3 | Cricketer | 1 | |
| Papers | 5 | Coal | 2 | |
| Provision Assistants | 3 | Musicians | 2 | |
| Music | 2 | School | 4 | |
| Mason | 1 | Leatherwork | 4 | |
| Barmen | 11 | Instruments | 2 | |
| 680 | Total | 1,469 | ||