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
Harrow 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]
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so that they have an ample supply of good food, live in good houses and
work contentedly under good conditions.
Register.
The names of all persons notified or otherwise brought to notice are
entered on the register. These entries lead to an increase to the numbers
on the register. On the other hand, deductions are made by names being
removed. Many names are taken off because of persons moving from the
district ; some die and some recover. Quite apart from the quarterly
corrections made in the register, periodically a check is made to ensure
that every person whose name is on the register is still in the district.
The following table is a summary ot the changes which have taken place in the register during the year:—
| Pulmonary | Non-pulmonary | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| No. on register, January 1st, 1951 | 1029 | 847 | 128 | 141 |
| No. of new cases added | 165 | 124 | 11 | 17 |
| No. of cases other than on Form A | 25 | 16 | 3 | 4 |
| No. of cases restored to the register | 5 | 7 | — | — |
| No. of cases removed | 109 | 91 | 14 | 10 |
| No. on register, December 31st, 1951 | 1115 | 903 | 128 | 152 |
Of the deductions, 106 (96 pulmonary) were of persons who had left
the district, 60 (54 pulmonary) were of persons who died, 44 (37 pulmonary)
were of persons who recovered, while 14 (13 pulmonary) were of
persons in respect of whom the diagnosis was withdrawn.
The total net increase to the register, including pulmonary and non.
pulmonary cases, was 153, a figure to be compared with that of 160 for
the previous year.
Deaths.
Forty.one persons (25 male and 16 female) died from pulmonary
tuberculosis during the year and seven (four male and three female)
from non.pulmonary tuberculosis. This infection, therefore, accounted
for a death rate per thousand population of 0.18 and for 2.0 per cent. of
the total deaths, the same proportions as in 1950. The corresponding
figures for 1949 were 0.26 and 3.0; and for 1948, 0.42 and 4.9.
Preventive Measures.
Early diagnosis is an important factor in limiting the spread of
infection. So, too, is the provision of suitable accommodation to which
the infective can be admitted and so reduce the risk of spread of infection.
For this reason, then, the work of the Regional Hospital Boards which
have been made responsible for the provision of hospital beds for the
treatment of tuberculous patients and for the diagnostic work in connection
with the disease has its preventive character, independent of the