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
Croydon 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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local government, it might be advisable for the orthopædic work
under the Public Health and School Authorities to be amalgamated
with similar work carried carried on by the Public Assistance
Committee, beds could be allocated for Mr. Todd's use at the
Mayday Rotad Hospital and a complete, self-contained orthopædic
unit built up to deal with all cases coming under the Local
Authority. The Croydon General Hospital would then undertake
such orthopædic work as was not properly included in the above
category, e.g., accident cases, paying patients, etc.
In addition to the Clinic at the General Hospital, concerning
which the tables below relate to only, there are remedial exercises
clinics conducted under the School Medical Scheme (referred to in
the school report) and a massage clinic for children under five years,
referred by medical officers at the Welfare Centres.
Table XCV.
| Jan. 1st, 1930. | New Cases, 1930. | Cases Discharged, 1930. | Cases on books, Dec. 31st, 1930. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M.C.W. | S.M.S. | T'uberc. | M.C.W. | S.M.S. | Tuberc. | M.C.W. | S.M.S. | Tuberc. | M.C.W. | S.M.S. | Tuber |
| 95 | 241 | 51 | 112 | 204 | 23 | 84 | 171 | 32 | 123* | 274 | 42 |
| 387 | 339 | 287 | 439 | ||||||||
| *To be transferred from M. and C.W. to S.M.S. on 1-1-1931. | |||||||||||
The expansion of the Clinic is clearly shown by these figures.
On January 1st, 1928, there were 229 cases on the books, by January
1st, 1930, this figure had risen to 387 and on January 1st, 1931,
the figure was 439. Two hundred and eighty seven cases were
discharged as compared with 211 in 1929, and there were 339 new
cases compared with 252 in the latter year.
The primary aim of the Orthopædic Scheme is preventive.
Many physical defects are easily remedied if taken early and treated
skilfully. Unfortunately much of the work is still largely compensatory
and ameliorative. This is due to parents and others not
appreciating the true significance of an apparently minor deviation
from the normal mechanical efficiency.
Tuberculosis is one of the great crippling diseases of childhood.
The prolonged efforts to eradicate tubercle bacilli from the milk
supply are, however, having effect. Cases of bone, joint and
abdominal Tuberculosis in childhood are steadily declining and the
number of new cases attributed to Tuberculosis declined from 51
in 1929 to 42 in 1930. They would, in all probability, decline more
rapidly if any milk found to contain Tubercle Bacilli could be
condemned as unfit for human consumption.