London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Harrow 1961

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]

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99
perhaps half, of the increase is due to infection and re-infection of
immigrants. The venereal diseases clinics again report increases in all the
veneeral diseases."
TUBERCULOSIS
Notifications. From 1955 the numbers of cases of tuberculosis
notified in this district fell each year from a figure of 183 new cases to 102
in 1959. There was a slight rise to 107 in 1960 but the figure for last year
was eighty-nine; eighty-four of these were in respect of pulmonary and
five to non-pulmonary disease. In addition to the new cases notified for the
first time, most of whom have contracted their infection while living here,
intimations are received of the disease in persons who suffered from it
before moving into the district. These figures too have continued to fall.
The combined figure of 287 in 1955 fell to 152 last year. The local notification
rate per thousand population was 0.44; the corresponding figure
for the country as a whole in 1960 was 0.51.

The following table gives the age and sex distribution both of persons who were resident in the district when it was recognised they were suffering from tuberculosis, and of those who moved into the district already suffering from the disease:—

Primary NotificationBrought to notice other than on Form "A"
PulmonaryNon-pulmonaryPulmonaryNon-pulmonary
MFMFMFMF
Under 1 .--------
1-411------
5-913---1-1
10-14-2-211-
15-1932--21-
20-2434--19--
25-34881-1210-
35-4446--46
45-54143--72-
55-64132-1-1
65 and over51122
Totals52322329331

Some people are for various reasons more prone than others to
contract tuberculosis. This may be because they are exposed to infection
cither at their home or at their place of work. A family history of contact
was obtained in twenty-two per cent of the males notified and in thirtyseven
per cent of the females, a combined average of twenty-seven. There
were three instances of people engaged in occupations which carry an