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
Ealing 1924
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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35
LABORATORY WORK.
The bacteriological laboratory deals with specimens taken not
only in the Borough, including the Isolation Hospital, but also in
the Urban Districts of Hanwell and Greenford.
During the year the following specimens were examined:-
| Positive | Negative | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria: | Ealing | 27 | 560 | 587 |
| Isolation Hospital | 157 | 1,557 | 1,714 | |
| Hanwell | 67 | 1,124 | 1,191 | |
| Greenford | — | 1 | 1 | |
| Tuberculosis: | Ealing | 19 | 168 | 187 |
| Hanwell | 5 | 30 | 35 | |
| Greenford | — | 1 | 1 | |
| Miscellaneous: | Ealing | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| Hanwell | — | 1 | 1 | |
| Greenford | — | — | — | |
| Totals | 282 | 3,447 | 3,729 | |
In the number of specimens coming from Hanwell examined
for the bacilli of diphtheria are 55 positive and 648 negative swabs
from the Central London District Schools where extensive swabbing
had to be undertaken in connection with an outbreak of diphtheria.
HOUSING.
The housing difficulties still remain acute. Serious overcrowding
is frequently met with and cannot be alleviated until
sufficient houses at a reasonable rent are available for the people
to go to. During the year the erection of 28 flats by the Town
Council made provision for some of the most pressing cases, but a
great effort is required before it can be considered that even the
needs of the urgent cases have been met. By private enterprise
292 houses were completed during the year, and although some
of these may be called working-class houses, which are most required,
yet the erection of houses of any sort tends to relieve some of the
pressure.