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
Shoreditch 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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home. Treatment at home is, of course, mainly carried out by the patient's general
practitioner but home consultations and specialist supervision of the "bed-cases"
are an important aspect of the dispensary work. Visits by the medical officer to the
home are also of importance in the control of the environmental factors of the disease.
In spite of the many post-war problems, it is satisfactory to be able to record
that although the population figures have been steadily mounting again since the
great migration compelled by the blitz, there has been some reduction in the number
of new cases of tuberculosis notified in the Borough. This is the more satisfactory
in that the number of suspect cases referred for investigation has steadily risen.
The following table illustrating the work of the dispensary may be of interest:—
| 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated population | 35,460 | 35,390 | 36,760 | 42,600 | 44,610 |
| Suspect cases investigated | 187 | 197 | 218 | 246 | 254 |
| Contacts examined | 167 | 206 | 147 | 173 | 200 |
| New cases notified | 96 | 83 | 78 | 88 | 79 |
| Dispensary attendances | 2,857 | 2,827 | 2,988 | 3,408 | 3,577 |
| X-ray examinations | 604 | 700 | 719 | 954 | 1,067 |
| Specimens of sputum, etc., examined | 380 | 426 | 412 | 475 | 551 |
| Domiciliary visits by medical officer | 185 | 170 | 115 | 155 | 190 |
| Domiciliary visits by Tuberculosis Visitors | 3,425 | 3,558 | 3,755 | 3,101 | 4,031 |
| Admissions to institutions | 82 | 92 | 67 | 56 | 56 |
Most of the pre-war arrangements for reference of patients to other specialist
departments have been continued. Increasing use has been made of the facilities
at St. Leonard's Hospital. A number of surgical cases have been referred there for
surgical supervision but most of those cases which have been under treatment in the
County Council's surgical sanatoria attend the surgical after-care clinics at County
Hall, where they are seen by the Medical Superintendents of the sanatoria concerned.
Tuberculous laryngitis appears to be less common than formerly, but a few
cases have been referred to the laryngologist at the Royal Chest Hospital (Mr. Ian
Robin, and later, Mr. Owen). Laryngitis is often a terminal condition and patients
are sometimes too ill to be sent to an out-patient department. A few cases of nontuberculous
disease of the ear, nose or throat have also been referred either to the
Royal Chest Hospital or to St. Leonard's.
Patients requiring dental treatment, unless they have their own dentist, are
referred to the Borough Dental Hospital. The charge for treatment is assessed by
the Tuberculosis Care Committee ; in many cases it is free.
Extra nourishment (for adults, two pints of milk daily and 1 lb. of Bournvita
monthly; for children half these quantities) is supplied free or at half-cost for patients
eligible under the Health Committee's scale. During 1947, 105 patients received it
free and 55 at half-cost.
Bedding was supplied on loan to 11 patients, and one open-air shelter, first lent
to the patient concerned in 1939, remained in use.