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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE CITY OF LONDON FOR THE YEAR 1956,
To the Right Honourable The Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commoners of the Corporation of London.
55/61, Moorgate,
London, E.G.'2.
October, 1'957.
My Lord Mayor and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the following report on the work of ray Department during the year
1956.
Vital Statistics
The resident population of the City according to the Registrar General's estimate to mid-year
1956 was 5,180. The birth rate rose to 7.56 per 1,000 and the death rate rose to 13.19 per 1,000.
There were 44 live births during the year, 2 of which were premature births; in neither case did
the infant die within 28 days of birth. There were 3 deaths under one year of age, in 2 of which
cases the infant died in a few minutes and the third in two days.
There were no deaths attributable to pregnancy or childbirth.
The number of deaths was 67 of which only the three infant deaths occurred in the age groups
1-25 years; 5 were between 25 and 45 years; 26 between 45 and 65; 19 between 65 and 75; and
14 over 75 years.
Twenty-two deaths were due to disease of the heart or blood vessels, 17 were due to cancer
of which 6 were cancer of the lung. There were 2 deaths due to respiratory tuberculosis, 4 to
pneumonia, 4 to bronchitis and 2 to diabetes.
Infectious Diseases
The incidence of infectious diseases remained low.
There were no cases of poliomyelitis.
Cases of Puerperal Fever and Tuberculosis were 13 and 5 respectively compared with 2 and
11 in the previous year.
Mass Radiography
The Mass Radiography Unit of the \orth East Metropolitan Hospital Board continued to
operate during the year from your premises at 20, Golden Lane.
The total number of examinees was 54,112, in addition to 4,244 City workers when the Unit
was mobile, i.e. when operating at the premises of large City firms, where employees were
X-rayed at their place of work.
The Unit is also available to the boroughs of Finsbury, Stepney and Shoreditch, although the
majority of examinees are employed in the City.
The following is an extract from the Annual Report for 1956 of the Medical Director of the
Unit:—
"During 1956 the Unit examined 37,264 males and 27,916 females making a total of 65,180,
which shows an increase of about 3,400 on the 1955 figures. Sixty-two active cases of tuberculosis
have been discovered, which gives a rate of almost one per thousand examined — with
male examinees showing a slightly higher rate than females. All clinics have recorded their
sputum findings, and twenty cases with a positive sputum have been reported, of which thirteen
were male and seven female.
"The Unit operated at the Mass Radiography Centre, 20, Golden Lane, London, E.C.I, from
the 1st January to the 30th April and from the 8th August to the 31st December. The majority of
examinees attending the Centre were employed in the City of London, although firms operating in
the Metropolitan Boroughs of Finsbury and Shoreditch also sent their staffs, as well as Health
and Teaching staffs of the London County Council.
"At the commencement of the year under review the new scheme, detailed in our previous
Report, for the examination of school teachers, came into operation, and has worked quite smoothly
even if the response has not been so great as was contemplated. Altogether the Unit X-rayed
535 teachers, — representing ninety-three schools. A similar procedure has been adopted for
Health Staffs in Divisions 3, 4 and 5. The normal Consent Form has been dispensed with; the
examinee receiving the result of his (or her) examination. The upper portion of the form is sent
to the Divisional Medical Officer, who will thus know who attended for examination. For convenience,
a copy of the teachers' form, of which the Unit holds a supply provided by the London
County Council, is attached.The Health Staffs' form is issued by the appropriate Health Division,
and follows similar lines to the teachers' form.
2.