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
Marylebone 1942
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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Impetigo.—Forty-four boys and 66 girls received treatment for this condition at the Cleansing Station.
Dysentery.—Early in the year 95 cases of Flexner dysentery, with five deaths, occurred among the 560 inmates
(male and female) of the St. Marylebone Home. All possible steps were taken to limit the spread of infection, the
source of which was presumably from carriers among the inmates, over whose movements little control can be exercised.
The outbreak was reported to the Ministry of Health and a conference took place between medical officers of the
London County Council (the authority responsible for the administration of the institution) and the Borough Council
to discuss further measures of control and prevention.
Venereal Diseases.—In view of the increased prevalence of these conditions, .additional publicity was given to the
diagnostic and treatment facilities available in the area. Towards the end of the year routine tests for the Wassermann
re-action were, with the assistance of a group laboratory of the London County Council, resumed at the ante-natal
clinics.
Tuberculosis.—New Cases and Mortality.—Table 7, prepared at the request of the Ministry of Health, contains
information with regard to age and sex distribution of all forms of tuberculosis.
TABLE 7—Tuberculosis : New Cases and Deaths.
| Age Periods. * | *NEW CASES. | DEATHS. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary. | Non-Pulmonary. | Pulmonary. | Non-Pulmonary. | |||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| 0—1 | _ | _ | _ | 3 | _ | _ | _ | 2 |
| 1—5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| 5—15 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| 15—25 | 14 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 25—35 | 17 | 22 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 5 | — | 1 |
| 35—45 | 20 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | —- | 1 |
| 45—55 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 55—65 | 8 | 2 | — | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 65 and upwards | 6 | 1 | — | - | 3 | 2 | ' — | 1 |
| Totals | 82 | 67 | 10 | 19 | 30 | 16 | 4 | 6 |
| *Including all primary notifications and also any other new cases of tuberculosis which came to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health during the year. | ||||||||
Notifications.—Table 8 gives information regarding notifications and the localisation of the disease. The total number
of cases of tuberculosis remaining at the 31st December, 1942, on the register of notifications was 551, 75 more than at
the end of the previous year.
TABLE 8—Tuberculosis Notifications : Localisation of Disease.
| Localisation of disease. | Cases notified in whole Borough. | Cases notified in Sub-Districts. | Cases removed to hospital from | Cases isolated at home. | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At ages—years. | All Souls. | St. Mary. | North Mary-leb one | All Souls. | St. Mary. | North Marylebone | |||||||||
| At all Ages. | Under 1. | 1 to 5. | 5 to 15. | 15 to 25. | 25 to 45. | 45 to 65. | 65 and upwards. | ||||||||
| Lungs | 114 | - | 3 | 4 | 31 | 46 | 24 | 6 | 30 | 33 | 51 | 19 | 13 | 26 | 56 |
| Glands | 3 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 2 |
| Peritoneum | 4 | - | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | —' | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Meninges | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | — |
| Cheek | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Miliary | 1 | 1 | — | — | —- | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | - | — | — |
| Uterus | 1 | - | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | - |
| Wrist | 2 | - | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Totals | 129 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 51 | 26 | 6 | 35 | 38 | 56 | 21 | 17 | 30 | 61 |
Dispensary.—Statistics for 1942 : consultations 296 ; new cases 418 (including 128 contacts), old cases, 292 ;
attendances 3,924 ; home visits by tuberculosis officer—new 76, old 107 ; hospital visits by tuberculosis officer 58 ;
home visits by tuberculosis visitors—first visits 186, re-visits, 1,235.
During the year 925 examinations (films, 483 ; screening only, 442) were made by means of the Council's X-ray
plant. Twenty-two patients received artificial pneumothorax treatment on the premises and 253 refills were given.
Sputum examinations carried out in the dispensary numbered 268.
Expenditure on milk supplied to tuberculous persons amounted to £189 2s. lid. ; 351 orders were issued.
In addition to the Borough Council's dispensary there is another—the Margaret Street Dispensary—which is provided
by a voluntary body and also possesses facilities for the treatment of tuberculosis.