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8
Treatment
The treatment of cancer of the lung may still be said to be in its infancy, and hospital admission is
therefore needed for nearly every case. There is no shortage of hospital beds at present notwithstanding the
increasing number of cases, because fewer beds are now needed for tuberculosis. Beds for bronchitis
sufferers are now also being provided at the sanatoria.
Tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis creates a special problem because of its infectious nature: nearly a third of the deaths
occurred in elderly men previously unknown to the health authorities. They obviously form a small
but significant minority of the population difficult to discover before others have been infected.
In view of this "hard core" of tuberculosis infection, B.C.G. vaccination remains an important
preventive measure offered to all school-leavers to raise their resistance to infection, very necessary during
adolescence when the risk of infection is higher and many new stresses have to be faced. Approximately the
same number of children (Table 24) have been tuberculin tested as in recent previous years and again about
80 per cent, were found to need B.C.G., and of these 92 per cent, accepted vaccination.
Tuberculin testing of the younger children also continued and the results appear in Table 23. The
proportion reacting remained about the same but over the years there has been a marked decline in school
children, particularly entrants. This reflects the general decline in incidence. It also demonstrates that
whereas in 1953 children generally came in contact with infection before they entered school, today most of
the positives do so during their school life.
Factories and workshops
A factory survey was carried out in the borough by Mass X-ray Unit 5A. Meetings were held
between the Medical Officer and his staff and the Physician-in-Charge of the Unit to discuss the programme
and assistance to be given by the department. Lists of factories, the number of workers employed and a
map showing the location of the large factories were provided. The Medical Officer gave 39 talks to factory
staffs during lunch hour breaks to encourage attendance and answer questions.
From January to May, the Unit visited 17 sites and examined 7,415 workers from 84 factories.
Fifteen cases of tuberculosis were discovered, three of them being Willesden residents. They were referred
to the Chest Clinic and are now receiving treatment. The remainder were referred to Chest Clinics in the
districts where they lived.
In addition to the above, 3 factories were visited by the Medical Officer and 173 immediate contacts
of active cases were encouraged to attend for examination. Three cases with abnormalities were found and
referred to the Chest Clinic for further investigation and treatment. Four factories were re-visited at six
monthly intervals to encourage contacts of old cases to re-attend for examination. Sixty-four workers
attended and they were all found to be satisfactory.
Several cases were referred to the Government Training Centre at Perivale, and those who passed
the course were found employment.
C o-operation
At the request of the Chest Physician special visits have been paid by the Medical Officer and his
deputy to the homes of cases who failed to report for regular treatment. All their visits have been successful
and treatment has been resumed.
The need for integration of all services provided by Chest Physician, Medical Officer of Health,
Welfare Officers, Disablement Resettlement Officer and Home Visitors is self-evident when dealing with
diseases having such wide social implications as tuberculosis, bronchitis and cancer. The closest co-operation
between all services for the patients and their families has continued throughout the year.
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA
Water
The Metropolitan Water Board and the Colne Valley Water Company supply Willesden with pure
water.
Sewage and Drainage
Most of the sewage of the borough is discharged into the London County Council main sewers, but
a small amount from the Park Royal area is discharged into the West Middlesex Main Drainage System.
Refuse Disposal
The Borough Engineer's Department deals with the provision of dust-bins.
Refuse is disposed of by controlled tipping at Twyford ; house refuse is collected weekly and trade
refuse as often as required at an agreed charge.
Household Arrangements
The census report for the County of Middlesex 1951 and the Housing Report for England and Wales
showed clearly Willesden's housing problems as compared with the rest of the country (see report for 1956).