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
Ealing 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
This page requires JavaScript
It is sometimes thought that Tuberculosis is widely
imported into this country by Asian immigrants. It
seems more likely however that Asians are a
susceptible population who contract the disease
after their arrival here. The table given below shows
that Asians do constitute an unduly high proportion
of notifications in relation to their numbers and that
the number of notifications from the Southall area is
unduly high in relation to its population. The work
load on the Tuberculosis Health Visiting service is
corresponding great.
MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH
Details of notifications for the last six years are as consultation with a smallpox consultant. Incidence follows:-
| Year | New cases of Tuberculosis | Indians & Pakistanis based on names | Acton & Ealing | Southal I | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Pul. | Non-Pul. | ||||
| 1965 | 171 | 129 | 42 | 42 | 113 | 58 |
| 1966 | 163 | 131 | 32 | 52 | 91 | 72 |
| 1967 | 191 | 142 | 49 | 69 | 104 | 87 |
| 1968 | 191 | 137 | 54 | 92 | 103 | 88 |
| 1969 | 206 | 150 | 56 | 122 | 99 | 107 |
| 1970 | 206 | 145 | 61 | 94 | 120 | 86 |
| 1971 | 193 | 124 | 69 | 116 | 87 | 106 |
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
It is fair to say that the problems of infectious disease
presented by Asian immigrants are somewhat exaggerated
in the public mind. Nevertheless there are three diseases
which constitute a considerable work load and do give
rise to a certain amount of concern:-
1. Smallpox
Details of the attendances over the last seven Health services and are receptive to the advice given years are as follows:-
| Clinic | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northcote | 4828 | 6250 | 7907 | 7848 | 6908 | 6777 | 6899 |
of these has remained constant and suspected cases
commonly occur when smallpox is reported in countries
abroad.
2. Typhoid Fever
The same observations about rapid travelling as
described under Smallpox apply to Typhoid Fever.
Since the formation of the London Borough there has
been a total of 15 confirmed cases of which 12 were
in Asian immigrants, 2 in returning English holiday
makers and 1 in a person who had never been out of
of this country.
3. Tuberculosis
Details of notifications for the last six years are as
consultation with a smallpox consultant. Incidence follows:-
Year
New cases of
Tuberculosis
Indians & Pakistanis
based on names
Acton &
Ealing
al I
Total
Pul.
Non-Pul.
1965
171
129
42
42
113
58
1966
163
131
32
52
91
72
1967
191
142
49
69
104
87
1968
191
137
54
92
103
88
1969
206
150
56
122
99
107
1970
206
145
61
94
120
86
1971
193
124
69
116
87
106
INSPECTORATE
As far as the Inspectorate is concerned the following are
the problems which face it in Southall:-
1. Housing
The houses occupied by the immigrants in Southall
are mainly of the small semi-detached or terraced types
with 2 rooms and kitchen on the ground floor, and 3
rooms on the first floor. Many of these houses have