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number of non-pulmonary cases was 20 compared with 9 in 1962. The
mortality rate for the year for pulmonary tuberculosis was 12 and for
non-pulmonary nil per 100,000 of the population, compared with 5.6 and
0.7 respectively for England and Wales. (For details of register and
notifications see page 77),
It would appear that, judging from the names and addresses of
persons notified as suffering from tuberculosis, 48 of the total notifications
of 125 (38%) related to immigrants, mainly of Asian origin. The
precise number of immigrants at risk is not known, but taking into account
the Table in the Registrar-General's Report on the 1961 Census, which
deals with the birthplace of residents of the Borough, the notification
rate in Stepney among Asian and Middle-East immigrants is in the order
of 12 per 1,000 compared with 0.9 in the remainder of the population.
As stated in last year's Report, I am firmly of the opinion that a
routine chest X-ray at or before the time of entry to the country of all
immigrants is essential if we are to eradicate the disease from our shores.
However, instead of positive measures being adopted in a forward
approach, back-pedalling seems to be the order of the day. To illustrate,
the High Commissioners for Malta and Cyprus have now ceased to enquire of
the Council regarding housing accommodation in the Borough proposed to be
used by intending immigrants from their countries. The Council suggested
to the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee that an endeavour
should be made to extend this practice to all Commonwealth countries.
The Committee took up the point with the Commonwealth Relations Office
who felt that the suggestion was not practicable because the Commonwealth
High Commissioners would not be aware of the intentions of their numerous
nationals in this country to move into new accommodation in a particular
area.
Again, a pregnant woman with three children aged 5, 4 and 1 year,
who were all in need of medical attention, landed at London Airport from
Pakistan to proceed to a house-in-multiple occupation in the Borough,
whose occupier had already been warned for permitting overcrowding in
the premises.
A Mass Radiography Unit of the North-East Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board carried out a survey in the Borough during May and June.
Visits were paid to odging-housss and to various sites in the Borough,
and the Unit was set up each Friday for 8 weeks at the Municipal Offices.
Out of a total number of 5,901 persons X-rayed, 10 cases of tuberculosis
were discovered, which required immediate treatment, and a further two
which required close clinical supervision. In addition six persons
X-rayed were found to be suffering from lung cancer. Significant cases
of tuberculosis amounted to 2 per 1,000 persons X-rayed, the national
figure being 1.4. per 1,000.
The mobile survey of visits to various sites gave a figure of 1.7
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