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"NORTH EAST METROPOLITAN REGIONAL HOSPITAL BOARD
MASS RADIOGRAPHY UNIT 6D
INTRODUCTION. During 1960 the Unit examined 37,948 males and 26,408 females, making
a total of 64,356 which was somewhat lower than the average for the past few years. The
proportion of women to men was slightly above the yearly average. Up to the end of 1960 the
Unit has examined 369,357 males and 256,107 females — making a grand total of 625,464
since it commenced operations in May 1950.
Sixty-three cases with a significant tuberculous lesion have been discovered which
gives a rate of .98 per 1,000 examinees. Twenty cases of carcinoma of the lung (18 men
and 2 women) were discovered during the year which is an increase of about 43% on the
previous year's results.
The zone of the Unit has remained unaltered, viz. the City of London and the Metropolitan
Boroughs of Finsbury and Shoreditch. The Unit operated for about seven months during
the year at the Mass Radiography Centre, 20 Golden Lane, E.C.1, while for the remaining
period (excluding three weeks annual leave) the Unit visited various firms and organisations
which included a co-operative Survey at the Finsbury Health Centre by kind permission of
the Public Health Committee of the Borough of Finsbury, when nearly four hundred firms
participated. Public Sessions were arranged but were not well supported. The Unit also
participated in the Special Campaign at Stepney when the Unit X-rayed 4,481 men and women
and discovered fourteen cases (11 men and 3 women) with significant tuberculous lesions.
Nearly three thousand new firms were advised of the Mass Radiography Service during the
year and produced satisfactory results.
DOCTOR'S REFERRALS. General practitioners in our zone have continued to use the
Unit's services, and such cases have produced an incident rate of 23.08 per 1,000 examined.
MEDICAL PROCEDURE. Abnormal cases (after an interview with the Medical Director)
are referred through the examinee's own doctor to the appropriate Chest Clinic. All clinics
have recorded their sputum findings, and twenty cases with a positive sputum have been
recorded of which 14 were male and 6 were female. A number of cases — outside the
purview of a Chest Clinic — have been referred to St. Bartholomew's Hospital and I gratefully
acknowledge the ready co-operation offered by Dr. N.C. Oswald and his colleagues.
STAFF. Throughout the year the staff have performed their duties in an efficient and
courteous manner which I herewith gratefully acknowledge.
CONCLUSION. Friendly relationships continue between Dr. J. Greenwood Wilson, Medical
Officer of Health for the City of London, the Medical Officers of Health for the Boroughs of
Finsbury and Shoreditch, and the Divisional Medical Officers in Divisions 3, 4 and 5. Our
gratitude for services rendered by the Central Group Hospital Management Committee and the
Regional Hospital Board is also acknowledged."
CORPORATION STAFF
Occupational Health Service
Mass Miniature Radiography
A permanent Mass Radiography Unit is operated by the North East Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board in premises in the City which are owned by the Corporation. Members of the
Staff are encouraged to take voluntary advantage of the facilities thus provided for biennial X-ray
of the chest. For obvious reasons no attempt is made to compile official statistics but it is
known that a large percentage of Corporation employees take advantage of this opportunity for a
regular "check-up".
Medical Emergencies
The arrangement with a firm of medical practitioners in the City to be on call for emergencies
at Guildhall was used on 4 occasions during the year.
The emergency service was instituted because the Medical Officer of Health from the nature
of his duties may often be unavailable to answer urgent calls, and even if he were, he would not
have with him the doctor's "black bag" the contents of which are essential for effective treatment
of many medical emergencies.
Ophthalmic Optician Service
Since the beginning of March 1959, a firm of Ophthalmic Opticians have been operating an
eye testing service for members of the staff.
A weekly session is held in the medical suite of the Guildhall Office Block.
This service is operated under the National Health Service, and examinations are free
although charges are made for the dispensing of prescriptions.
During the year, 80 members of the staff had their eyes tested, 19 of these had not previously
had an eye test under the National Health Service, and 14 were found to have visual defects
which required correction and were supplied with spectacles.
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