View report page

29
with 17 for 1909. The rate was highest in Whitmore Ward where it was 2.3 per
1,000; no deaths from consumption were recorded as having occurred during the
year in Moorfields Ward.
The deaths from tuberculosis in the Metropolis numbered 7,236 giving a deathrate
of 15 per 1,000 inhabitants. Of these, some 5,555 were attributed to consumption,
the death-rate being l.l per 1,000 inhabitants, as compared with T3 for
1909.
In accordance with the requirements of the Public Health (Tuberculosis)
Regulations, 1908, during the year, 202 certificates were received as to consumptive
inmates of poor law institutions, 121 from the district medical officers as to consumptive
patients upon whom they were attending as officers of the guardians, and
150 relating to the discharge of consumptives from poor law institutions. In six
instances, changes of address of consumptives were notified by relieving officers.
Altogether, 479 certificates were received referring to 272 persons suffering from
consumption. Of these persons, 31 were certified previously in 1909, leaving 241
certified for the first time in Shoreditch during the year. The number certified in
1909 was 313. The addresses given on the certificates were visited in the great
majority of cases by the sanitary inspectors, and as far as practicable such steps
were taken as appeared necessary for the prevention of the spreading infection.
Houses in which deaths from the disease occurred were also visited, with a view
to securing measures being taken for their disinfection.
In addition to the poor law notifications a number of others were received
from the medical officer (Education) relating to school children, from certain
hospitals, from the charity organisation society and also voluntarily from patients
themselves. The circumstances in connection with these cases together with those
referring to some 35 female patients notified by the poor law officers were investigated
by the Health Visitor and are dealt with in her interesting report to which attention
is directed (appendix p. 84). The evidence obtained throwing light upon the
sources of infection in a number of the cases is worthy of note and also the fact
that in 14 of the cases sanatorium or open air treatment was obtained through the
Charity Organisation Society, the Invalid Children's Aid Association or otherwise.
Disinfection was carried out by the Sanitary Authority in connection with a
large number of the houses in which cases came under our notice. Altogether
122 rooms in 121 houses were disinfected, bedding and textile articles being dealt
with in the usual way in the great majority of the cases.
CHOLERA.
Only one intimation under the cholera regulations was received during the year.
It was from the port sanitary authority of Folkestone and referred to five persons
from Salermo, in Italy, in the neighbourhood of which cholera cases had been
occurring. The usual enquiries were made and the persons concerned duly kept
under observation.