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
Finchley 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finchley]
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Bacteriological Work
The following table shows the number and nature of the specimens examined at the Central Public Health Laboratory,
Colindale, during 1953.
| Positive | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Throat/Nose Swabs: | ||
| Diphtheria Bacilli | – | 192 |
| Hæmolytic Streptococci | 62 | |
| Vincent's Angina | 2 | |
| Fasces: | ||
| Sonne Dysentery | 15 | 111 |
| Salmonella | 8 | |
| Protozoa | 1 | |
| Sputum: | ||
| T.B. Smear | 3 | 70 |
| Other Organisms | 13 | |
| Whooping Cough: | ||
| Cough Plate | – | 14 |
| Post-nasal Swab | 9 | |
| 113 | 387 |
Tuberculosis
Eleven persons died from tuberculosis during 1953, giving a
death rate of 0.157 per 1,000 population. This is the lowest rate
ever recorded.
The number of new cases of the disease, on the other hand,
has remained fairly stationary in the last few years.
There has been a tendency in recent years towards a lower
age of incidence of the disease. Last year 8 children of school
age, and one under school age, were found to be suffering from
tuberculosis of the lungs—14% of the total cases at all ages.
This is higher than it ever has been in my experience.
There is close co-operation between the Public Health
Department, the Area Health Department and the Chest Clinic
in the constant search for possible sources of infection in new
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