London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Croydon 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
This page requires JavaScript
It is instructive to compare the results obtained in cases discharged from Sanatoria during the five year 1932—1930, with those for 1927—1931, and this is done in the Table below.
| Result. | Five years, 1927-1931. | Five years, 1931-1936. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.B. | T.B. | T.B. | T.B. | 1927 | 1932 | |
| - | + | - | + | 1931 | 1936 | |
| Dead | 21 | 292 = 48% | 14 | 200 = 43.3% | 313 | 214 |
| 42.0% | 34.5% | |||||
| Working or fit for work | 93 | 140 = 23% | 124 | 155 = 33.5% | 233 | 279 |
| 31.2% | 45.1% | |||||
| Not able to work | 23 | 176 = 28.9% | 19 | 107 = 23.1% | 199 | 120 |
| 26.7% | 20.3% | |||||
| Left District | 36 | 86 | 44 | 93 | 122 | 137 |
| Totals | 173 | 694 | 201 | 555 | 867 | 756 |
This Table shows clearly the improved results obtained during
the last five years, 13.9% more patients are fit for work and the
number who died during the five years decreased by 7.5%. The
decreased incidence is shown in the smaller total number of cases,
and the greater relative proportion of T.B.-—cases appears to
indicate a tendency for cases to come earlier for treatment.
TUBERCULOSIS CARE COMMITTEE REPORT.
The following figures give an outline of the work of the Tuberculosis
Care Committee during 1936. Grants were made in 35 cases
to buy clothes for patients about to enter Sanatorium or to assist
towards an outfit on discharge, bedding was purchased to enable
patients to have separate sleeping accommodation. Financial help
was given in 59 cases, for the most part pending a grant from the
Public Assistance Authorities or the receipt of National Health
Insurance benefit, and to provide extra nourishment. In all £175
was spent for the benefit of patients and their families.
The problems of the tubercular patient are many. Where the
bread winner is concerned there is often a drastic reduction of
family income, or if it is the mother who has to undergo treatment
and there are young children to be provided for, there will need to
be entire re-adjustment of the household, even in some cases to the
breaking up of the family. It is not therefore possible to express
in terms of figures alone the extent and variety of the work under
taken.