London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Croydon 1946

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

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vi.

35 active cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, showing extent of the lesion, presence or absence of symptoms and disposal.

Extent of lesion and presence of symptoms.Disposal.
Dispensary Observation.Hospital or Sanitorium.Total.
Unilateral
with symptoms538
without symptoms .516
Bilateral
with symptoms7310
without symptoms6511
231235
(0.34%)(0.17%)(0.51%)

(The figures in brackets refer to the precentage of the total
number examined.)
35 active cases of pulmonary tuberculosis sub-divided into sex
and age groups.
60 and Total
Age 14 1.5—24 25—34 35—44 45—59 over all ages
Males — 3 7 2 10 1 23
Females 1 6 2 2 8 — 12
Preventative measures of this kind are unfortunately handicapped
by a lack of Sanatorium beds. This does not apply to
Croydon alone, but is general throughout the country. Some of
the accommodation available cannot be used because of lack of
nursing and domestic staffs.
Another serious handicap in the treatment of Pulmonary
Tuberculosis is the difficulty of obtaining provision for Thoracic
Surgery. There is an insufficiency of skilled surgeons in this
special branch of surgery which has the unfortunate result of
patients having to wait up to two years for an operation, and
owing to this delay some are found to have deteriorated so much
that they are no longer fit. In consequence patients who may
have had a reasonable prospect of relief of their condition, are
doomed to succumb to the diseases. This branch of surgery
requires specially trained teams working together under exceptional
conditions not normally associated with routine general
operative procedure. A multiplication of such teams working
in selected centres capable of dealing promptly with any demands
is urgently needed.