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
Wimbledon 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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TUBERCULOSIS.
During the year 80 new cases were added to the register of tuberculous
persons compared with 89 in 1957 and 91 in 1956.
Of the 80 additions 26 were primary notifications and 54 were
transferred from other areas.
An analysis of the notifications received is given overleaf.
Ninety-eight cases were removed from the register for the following reasons:—
| Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Deaths from tuberculosis | 1 | – | 1 | – |
| Deaths of patients suffering from tuberculosis through other causes | – | 6 | – | – |
| Recovered cases | 11 | 18 | 1 | – |
| Removals from district | 24 | 25 | 1 | 1 |
| 42 | 44 | 3 | 1 | |
The figure of 26 new notifications of tuberculosis for the year
compares with 52 in 1957 and an average of 43 in the last five years.
This represents a notification rate of 0.45 per thousand of the population,
which is the lowest the Borough has known, and is particularly satisfactory
in view of the extensive use of mass radiography and other
means of early detection of the disease. The number of notifications of
new cases of tuberculosis in Wimbledon has shewn a steady decline
since 1950 apart from temporary increases in 1953, 1956 and 1957.
While these fluctuations are likely to occur in dealing with relatively
small numbers, the fall in the number of new cases notified last year (a
reduction of 50% on the previous year) is a most encouraging sign, and
it is hoped that this downward trend will be maintained in the future.
The number of deaths from all forms of tuberculosis also fell again
last year. Only 2 deaths from tuberculosis occurred among residents,
giving a death rate per thousand of the population of 0.03, which was
the lowest tuberculosis death rate ever recorded in Wimbledon, the
previous lowest was in 1957 when the rate was 0.05. The rate for
England and Wales in 1958 was 0.10.
B.C.G. vaccination against tuberculosis is available to contacts in
tuberculous families if preliminary testing shows that they have not
already been infected. It is also offered to all children between the
ages of 13 and 14 years. The scheme is operated through the County
School Health Service.
During 1958 it did not become necessary to use the powers given
under the Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations 1925,
or Section 172 of the Public Health Act 1936. These powers prohibit
persons suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis from entering upon
employment involving the handling of milk, and the compulsory removal
and detention in hospital in certain circumstances, of persons suffering
from tuberculosis.
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