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 1936

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]

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21
TUBERCULOSIS.
The hours at which the Dispensary was open for diagnosis and treatment of Tuberculosis
were:—
Tuesdays 12.30 p.m.—2.30 p.m.
2.30 p.m.—4.30 p.m. For the Artificial Pneumothorax Clinic.
5.0 p.m.—7.0 p.m.
Fridays 12.30 p.m. (New cases only.)
3.30 p.m.—4.30 p.m.
In all, 250 sessions have been held.
New Patients.—The number of new patients examined was 265, as compared with
312 last year:—

Table: Patients Referred to the Hospital.—The following is the summary of patients referred to the various departments of St. Bartholomew's Hospital for help in diagnosis or treatment:—

Patients Referred to the Hospital.—The following is the summary of patients referred to the various departments of St. Bartholomew's Hospital for help in diagnosis or treatment:—

Resident.Non-Resident.Total.
Referred to X-ray Department60238298
,, Dental „303
Throat „142034
Other „6915
83267350

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Patients Admitted to the Hospital for Diagnosis.—The wards of the Hospital are available
for the reception of cases presenting difficulties of diagnosis, which can only be overcome
by observation as In-patients. One resident and 9 non-resident patients were admitted
for this and other purposes.

Table: Examination of Sputum.—The following is a summary:—

Examination of Sputum.—The following is a summary:—

City Residents.Non-Residents.Total.
Positive123749
Negative2774101

Table: Residential Treatment.—The number of patients for whom residential treatment was arranged was 141.

Residential Treatment.—The number of patients for whom residential treatment was arranged was 141.

Admitted to L.C.C. Institutions. .Hospitals of Local Authorities.Other Institutions.St. Columbas Hospital. Corpn. Expense.St. Joseph's Hospice. Corpn. Expense.Bromptor Corpn. Expense.Total.
Patients resident in the City316——l424
Patients non-resident92169———117
95329_l4141

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Persons neither resident nor working in the City are usually transferred immediately
to their own Tuberculosis Officer, and subsequent arrangements are made by him. This
system has worked satisfactorily.
Persons Treated and Supervised at the Dispensary.—(i.) Patients resident in the City.
All persons suffering from Tuberculosis who are resident in the City may be supervised and
treated at the Dispensary. The total number of cases so treated and referred to as patients
on the register in Table on page 24 was 50.
In addition, 32 contacts were kept under observation.
(ii.) Patients non-resident in the City.
(a) Who work in the City.
On diagnosis, these patients are informed that they can be treated and advised at the
Dispensary or transferred to the Tuberculosis Officer of their own Borough.
(b) Who do not work in the City.
On diagnosis, these patients are usually transferred to the Tuberculosis Officer of their
own Borough. The total number of cases so transferred was 131.
Total Attendances:—
Residents 305
Non-Residents 768
1,073
In view of the fact that the cases in the last stages of the disease are extremely infectious,
especially in crowded houses, the Corporation have made arrangements to pay for the maintenance
of selected City cases at St. Columba's Hospital, Swiss Cottage, and at St. Joseph's
Hospice, Hackney. One case was admitted in 1936 to the latter institution.
D