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
Kingston upon Thames 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]
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41
Tuberculosis.
During 1956 the number of new cases notified in Kingston
was 27, 25 of which referred to respiratory disease. This
compares with the exceptionally low total of 20 (l4 of which
were respiratory) for 1955. Deaths totalled 2 compared with
6 in 1955.
In March and April the town was visited by the South West
Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board Mass X-Ray Unit. A total
of 6,305 persons were examined and 6 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis
were discovered® This represents a rate of O.95 per
1,000 new active cases discovered. A further 200 inactive
cases were recorded and also 145 non-tuberculous abnormalities.
A part of this general survey was conducted in Norbiton, and
although the above figures relate to Kingston as a whole,
separate analysis shows a rate of l.6l new cases per 1,000
persona examined for Norbiton.
The following table shows comparative figures of notified cases and deaths for the years 1947 to 1956 (inclusive):-
| Year | Cases Notified | Death® | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Respiratory | Non-Respiratory | Total_ | Respirator | Non-Res piratory | Total | |
| 1947 | 43 | 3 | 46 | 17 | 4 | 21 |
| 1948 | 55 | 3 | 58 | 22 | 2 | 24 |
| 1949 | 40 | 6 | 46 | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| 1950 | 37 | 11 | 48 | 12 | - | 12 |
| 1951 | 38 | 9 | 47 | 12 | 1 | 13 |
| 1952 | 43 | 2 | 45 | 9 | 2 | 11 |
| 1953 | 37 | 5 | 42 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| 1954 | 26 | 4 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 1955 | 14 | 6 | 20 | 6 | - | 6 |
| 1956 | 25 | 2 | 27 | 2 | - | 2 |
From the above it ©an be seen that the trend of notifications
of respiratory disease is downwards vide graph on
following page. This is in spite of vigorous methods e.g. Mass
X-Ray and the follow up of contacts to find all possible new
eases. It is also evident that fewer deaths are occurring
attributed to pulmonary tuberculosis. This would be expected
from the fact of fewer cases; It may quite well also be due to
the fact that some chest conditions causing deaths which in
former years might have been attributed to pulmonary tuberculosis,
are now more accurately attributed to other conditions
e.g. cancer of the lung or bronchus etc.
The efficiency of notification has been good and there is
no reason to suspect refusal or neglect to notify.. No posthumous
notifications were received during 1956.
Throughout the year no action became necessary under the
Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations 1925,
or Section 172 of the Public Health Act 1936. These regulations
relate to the restriction of tuberculosis sufferers from
employment in the handling of milk, and the compulsory removal
to hospital in certain circumstances of persons suffering from
tuberculosis respectively.