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Distribution of Infectious Disease Notifications
For the incidence of various infectious diseases notified during the year, under age
groups and locality see Appendix, Tables IX and X.
Infectious Disease Visits
During the year, the Sanitary Inspectors paid 470 visits with reference to cases of
infectious disease. In addition, the County Health Visitors did a certain amount of home
and school visiting in connection with infectious diseases.
Tuberculosis
Pulmonary Tuberculosis
The number of new cases notified during the year was 109.
Other Forms of Tuberculosis
The number of new cases notified during the year was 14.
Of the total notifications 7 were received from Medical Practitioners; 55 from the
Uxbridge Chest Clinic; 23 from General Hospitals; 2 from Special Hospitals; and 36
from St. Bernard's Hospital.
Deaths from Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis of the respiratory system, 8; other forms, 1.
For details of new cases notified and deaths in 1951, see Appendix, Table XI, and for
the occupation of new cases see Appendix, Table XII.
Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925
Public Health Act, 1936, Section 172
Action under these powers was not necessary during the year.
The number of new notifications rose from 80 in 1951 to 123 in 1952. Thirty-six of
these were cases of tuberculosis in St. Bernard's Hospital, and these were not necessarily
new cases as many of the St. Bernard's cases had been notified previously in other areas.
It had been assumed by the Hospital authorities that duplicate notification to Southall was
unnecessary so a complete check of the Hospital records was made during the year. Cases
not previously notified in this Department had new notification forms completed.
The number of deaths from tuberculosis was 9, the corresponding number for 1951
being 15. Of the 9 deaths one had not previously been notified as a case of tuberculosis
and three notifications were received within three weeks of the death notification. It
appears, therefore, that there are still cases of tuberculosis who seek treatment or are
discovered too late for medical skill to be effective in saving their lives. It is hoped that
an extension of the use of the Mass X-ray Unit will put an end to such tragic occurrences.
A visit of the Mass X-ray Unit is due for Southall during the autumn of 1953.
An analysis of the housing conditions of new cases shows that in 75 of 87 notified patients
living in Southall (exclusive of the St. Bernard's Hospital notifications) housing conditions
were good in 71 instances, in the other 4 housing was fair but not in such dilapidated
condition as to constitute statutory nuisance. In no case was statutory overcrowding
confirmed. The remaining 12 could not be followed up because of removal from the district
or some other similar reason. Multiple notifications occurred in three instances, in each of
which two notifications were received from the same address.
The Physician of the Uxbridge Chest Clinic supplied the information that B.C.G.
vaccination during 1952 was carried out on 32 people of Southall. Those who received the
treatment were case contacts of patients attending the Chest Clinic previously tested for
their reaction, found to be sensitive to tuberculosis germs, and, therefore, more readily
liable to be infected, and the figure includes 17 newly-born infants.
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