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however, tuberculosis is not a rare disease and with such a high percentage of sputum positive
cases continuing to be discovered in the community, the time is far from opportune when one can
be complacent about this disease which in 1970 caused 1,465 deaths in England, more than the
total of deaths attributed to all other notifiable infectious diseases.
As well as the investigation in the junior school referred to above, one-hundred-and-twelve
students in a college for further education (Bible College) were also investigated when an infectious
case of tuberculosis was discovered amongst one of the students. No other active cases were
discovered.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACT 1936—SECTION 169
An Order pursuant to the above Act was obtained from the Justices in relation to one patient
who, although a sputum positive infectious case, was continually absenting himself from hospital
and knowingly exposing other persons to the risk of infection. The patient was detained in hospital
until it was considered that his disease was arrested and that he was no longer a danger to others.
TUBERCULIN TEST AND BCG VACCINATIONS FOR YEAR ENDING
31st DECEMBER 1971
Number of persons vaccinated through the Authority's approved arrangements under Section
28 of the National Health Service Act.
Contacts:
Skin tested 722
Found Positive 84
Found Negative 233
Vaccinated 233
Babies vaccinated at birth —
School children and students excluding those known to have received
BCG vaccination already :
Skin tested 2,259
Found Positive 89
Found Negative 2,170
Vaccinated 2,170
VENEREAL DISEASE
The problem of sexually transmitted disease is considered to be less acute in this country
than in other parts of the world. The effects of screening, etc., in ante-natal clinics and of contact
tracing in helping to contain syphilis is recognised. Gonorrhoea, however, is not under control,
and although the rate of increase is not at anything like the same level as in other countries, the
problem, especially in the London area is becoming particularly serious. About half of the total
new cases attending clinics in England for gonorrhoea are now being recorded in the London area.
In July 1971, a conference on contact tracing was convened at the Department of Health
and Social Security by the Chief Medical Officer, Sir George Godber, at which representatives
from the Health Departments of all the London Boroughs attended. Venereologists and welfare
officers representing all of the special clinics in the London area as well as representatives from
the Metropolitan Regional Hospital Boards, general practitioners and the Department of Health
and Social Security, also attended. The conference recommended that contact tracing in the
Greater London area should be better organised and intensified. Physicians in charge of special
clinics agreed to consider in consultation with local health authorities whether the present provision
of "welfare officers" was adequate and each Medical Officer of Health was requested to
designate one or more health visitors for liaison duties with these special clinics. As well as
providing local information and on occasions, assistance with visiting of contacts, the function
of the liaison officer would include acting as a point of reference for contact tracing staff at the
clinics outside the authority's area.
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