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
Paddington 1924
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington]
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Return as to Work carried out in connection with the Paddington Tuberculosis Dispensary for the Year 1925.
(The return relates only to persons residing in the area which is served by the Dispensary.)
| Number of | Under observation at the Dispensary on Jan. 1st pending diagnosis. | Examined for the first time during the year. | Total. | Found to be | Under observation at the Dispensary on Dec. 31st pending diagnosis. | Ceased attendance before completion of diagnosis. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffering from -Tuberculosis. | Not suffering from Tuberculosis. | |||||||||
| Pulmonary. | Non-Pulmonary. | |||||||||
| (a) All persons (including -"Contacts") | Adults. | M. | 1 | 159 | 160 | 58 | 4 | 85 | 4 | 9 |
| F. | 6 | 211 | 217 | 47 | 3 | 153 | 4 | 10 | ||
| Children under 15. | M | 3 | 165 | 168 | 2 | 56 | 105 | 9 | 3 | |
| J | 6 | 169 | 175 | 3 | 31 | 125 | 10 | 6 | ||
| Total | 16 | 704 | 720 | 110 | 94 | 468 | 20 | 28 | ||
| (6)"Contacts" included in (a) | Adults. | M. | 1 | 47 | 48 | 4 | – | 42 | – | 2 |
| F. | 2 | 93 | 95 | 3 | – | 87 | – | 5 | ||
| Children under 15. | M. | 2 | 83 | 85 | – | 20 | 61 | 1 | 3 | |
| F. | 4 | 90 | 94 | – | 5 | 79 | 6 | 4 | ||
| (c) Insured persons (included in (a) ) | M. | 1 | 121 | 122 | 46 | – | 65 | 4 | 7 | |
| F. | 4 | 81 | 85 | 24 | 2 | 53 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1. Number of patients under treatment or supervision (excluding persons under observation or domiciliary treatment) on the 31st December* | 606 | 6. Number of reports received from Insurance Practitioners in respect of insured patients under domiciliary treatment during the year | 44 | |||||||
| 2. Total number of attendances of patients at the Dispensary during the year | Insured | 2,071 | 7. Number of persons referred to affiliated hospital for consultation | 36 | ||||||
| Uninsured | 1,200 | 8. Number of consultations with medical practitioners at the homes of patients | Insured | 18 | ||||||
| 3. Number of persons placed during the year under observation at the Dispensary for the purpose of diagnosis | 104 | Uninsured | 3 | |||||||
| 9. Number of other visits paid by Tuberculosis Officer to the homes of patients | 479 | |||||||||
| 4. Number of cases in which the period of observation at the Dispensary exceeded two months | 30 | 10. Number of visits paid by Nurses or Health Visitors to the homes of patients for dispensary purposes | 1,944 | |||||||
| 5. Number of insured patients under domiciliary treatment on December 31st† | 74 | 11. Number of specimens of sputum examined in connection with the work of the Dispensary | 162 | |||||||
* Insured persons under domiciliary treatment by Insurance practitioners are excluded, even though they may attend the
dispensary at intervals for examination or consultation. Such cases are included under Head 5.
† All insured persons in the dispensary area who are actually receiving domiciliary treatment from Insurance practitioners
are included, irrespective of the date upon which they were placed under domiciliary treatment and of an}' attendance
at the dispensary.
St. Mary's Hospital Tuberculosis Dispensary.
This dispensary is voluntary and was subsidised by a grant of £1,070 from the Paddington
Borough Council for the year 1925.
The following notes on the work of this dispensary have been furnished by Dr. A. B. Porteous,
Tuberculosis Officer.
Accommodation.—This consists of a consulting room with two examination rooms attached,
and a large waiting-room. It is situated in the basement of the hospital, and is in close touch with,
but separate from the other out-patient departments of the hospital. In common with these it
suffers somewhat from lack of light and air.
Staff.—This consists of the Tuberculosis Officer and one sister. The majority of the clerical
work and all the record keeping is done by the dispensary staff, but the lady almoner of the hospital
assists by filling in assessment forms and also in interviewing patients in financial need, in writing
letters re housing repairs, getting patients to convalescent homes, etc.
Times of Sessions.—Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at 2 p.m. Thursday, at 6 p.m.
Bacteriological Work.—This is done by the Tuberculosis Officer and consists in examination and
culture of Sputa, and other discharges, pus, etc. Secondary autogenous vaccines are made, guinea
pigs inoculated, etc., as needs require. Complement fixation tests are frequently carried out through
the agency of the Inoculation Department of the hospital.
Co-operation with Borough Council and its Officers is close. Representatives, i.e., doctor and
sister attend care-committee meetings at the Town Hall, where all difficulties regarding patients
are brought up for consideration. The After Care Committee does most of the work of finding employment
for patients, one of the most difficult problems with which we are faced.
Co-operation with General and Special Hospitals.—This dispensary is at a great advantage in
being attached to a general hospital; the services of consultants are always available during clinic
hours. Patients suffering from ailments other than Tuberculosis can be quickly transferred. The
Eye, Skin and Throat Departments are especially useful.
M. O. 303 cards are used to refer delicate children or contacts to the school clinics. Some children
are sent to cripple schools and some to Kensal House Open-Air School, but a distinct drawback to
the latter is the difficulty of taking and fetching the children, which has prevented several suitable
cases being admitted there.