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
Woolwich 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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136
(а) Of the 242 newly notified patients for the year, 39 or 16.1 per cent. showed
contact within the family circle at the time of notification or within the
previous five years.
(b) During the year 259 children were tested by means of the Mantoux intradermal
test, and as will be seen from the following table, those children
in contact with notified cases showed a very much higher percentage of
positive results than where no such contact existed.
TABLE No. 76.
| Contacts. | 0—5 years. | 5—10 years. | 10—15 years. | Total. | Percentage. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive result | 17 | 39 | 39 | 95 | 61.2 |
| Negative result | 12 | 35 | 13 | 60 | 28.8 |
| Non-contacts. | |||||
| Positive result | 2 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 19.2 |
| Negative result | 29 | 38 | 17 | 84 | 80.8 |
(h) Work for the Ministry of Pensions.—This work has practically ceased,
only one report having been asked for and supplied during the year.
(i) Extra N ourishment.—Extra nourishment in the form of butter, eggs and
milk, is supplied to tuberculous patients on the certificate of the tuberculosis officer.
The object of this measure is to help the ex-sanatorium patient and other suitable
cases by the provision of such extra nourishment as will make the difference between
progress and relapse: it is not intended for advanced cases of tuberculosis where
real improvement cannot be expected. The expenditure on this service is limited
to £2 per 1,000 of the population.
(j) X-ray Examinations.—The past two years have shown a very marked
increase in the use of X-ray examinations in connection with the diagnosis and
treatment of tuberculosis. This has been general throughout the whole country,
and indicates the very great importance, indeed the absolute necessity, of the
procedure if the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis are to be carried out
efficiently. The increasing use of major surgery in the treatment of the disease
necessitates the examination of post-sanatorium patients at more frequent intervals.
The number of examinations in 1935 was 681. The patients referred by the tuberculosis
officer are X-rayed at the War Memorial Hospital. In addition patients
admitted to St. Nicholas Hospital are X-rayed and on discharge the films are sent
to the tuberculosis officer for filing with the patients' case records. X-ray figures
in London are not strictly comparable with other parts of the country as screening
and films are also undertaken at the hospitals where patients receive their artificial
pneumothorax refills.