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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE CITY OF LONDON FOR THE YEAR 1955.
To the Right Honourable The Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commoners of the Corporation of London.
55/61, Moorgate,
London, E.C.2.
September, 1956.
My Lord Mayor and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the following report on the work of my Department during
the year 1955.
Vital Statistics.
The resident population of the City according to the Registrar General's estimate to mid-year
1955 was 5,180. The birth rate rose to 5.33 per 1,000 and the death rate fell to 10.00 per 1,000.
There were 31 live births during the year, no premature births and one death of an infant under
one year of age.
There were no deaths attributable to pregnancy or childbirth.
The number of deaths was 54 of which none occurred in the age groups 1-25 years; 4 between
25 and 45 years; 21 between 45 and 65; 16 between 65 and 75; and 12 over 75 years.
Thirteen deaths were due to disease of the heart or blood vessels, 16 were due to cancer of
which 7 were cancer of the lung. There were 3 deaths due to tuberculosis, 4 to pneumonia and
1 to bronchitis.
Infectious Diseases.
The incidence of infectious diseases remained low.
There were only 3 cases of poliomyelitis, 2 paralytic and 1 non-paralytic.
Cases of Puerperal Fever and Tuberculosis were 2 and 11 respectively compared with 2 and
19 in the previous year.
Mass Radiography.
The Mass Radiography Unit of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board
continued to operate during the year from your premises at 20, Golden Lane.
The total number of examinees was 52,981, plus 9,324 City workers when the Unit was
"mobile", i.e. when operating at the premises of large firms where employees were X-rayed at
their place of work.
The Unit is also available to the Boroughs of Finsbury, Stepney and Shoreditch, though the
majority of examineees are persons employed in the City.
Each year I give a summary of the annual report of the Medical Director of the Mass
Radiography Unit referring to the previous year, in this case 1954, because the current report is
not usually available to me at the time this report goes to press. 1 have, however, received the
Medical Director's Report for 1955, and comparable figures for 1955 and 1954 respectively, are
given.
The Unit examined a total of 61,779 (61,671) persons, 37,776 (36,239) males and 24,003
(25,432) females.
Amongst the males, 47 (51) cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis were detected, and
amongst the females 28 (46) such cases, a total of 75 (97) or 1.2 (1.6) per 1,000 of the persons
examined. Of these 75 (97) active cases, 35 (21) were reported to have tubercle bacilli in the
sputum.
The Medical Director estimates that about 10 (10) per cent. of the City's day population were
examined, and that on the basis of the above results there are 350 (210) people every day in
the City expectorating live, virulent tubercle bacilli.
In his 1955 Report he then makes the following observations—
"These undetected people who are habitually travelling in crowded trains and 'buses, eating
in congested restaurants and perhaps working in overcrowded offices, are not aware of the peril
to which they are subjecting themselves, their families and the general public. It should be
borne in mind that the density of the daytime population which are exposed to such risks, is
estimated at 1,200 persons per acre."
"It will be seen from these figures that the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in the City
of London is not unduly high in view of the congested area, and this may be due to an acquired
immunity possessed by the average Londoner. However, there is no room for complacency, and
the area must be considered a vulnerable spot by virtue of its intense density of daytime
population. There is no doubt that the undetected case of pulmonary tuberculosis with a positive
sputum constitutes a real danger to the community and is responsible for fresh cases in the area.
The major role of Mass Miniature Radiography is to seek and discover such cases at the earliest
opportunity."