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16
from the returns of the Registrars of Births and Deaths,
showing that 10.5 per cent, of the deaths registered as due to
Tuberculosis had not been notified during life.
The total number of cases of Tuberculosis coming to the
knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health during the year was
938, of which 772 were pulmonary cases and 166 tuberculosis of
the other organs. The deaths due to this disease numbered
378, giving a death.rate for the year of 1.19 per 1,000.
The death.rate from respiratory phthisis being 0.97, and
from other forms 0.22 per 1,000.
The Reports of the Assistant Tuberculosis Officer and of
the Medical Superintendent of Dagenham Sanatorium will be
found on pages 59 and 61.
Research Committee.
This Committee has been formed during the year and is
composed of all the Medical Staff of the Council and of the
Education Committee, certain of the Staff of the Hospitals
in the Borough, and several local Medical Practitioners.
The work of this Committee is not, perhaps, so much in the
nature of research itself as to attempt by discussion and other
methods, to lead up to a definite line along which research work.
might be undertaken in certain diseases with a good prospect of
success.
The Committee has met on six occasions, and so far confined
its attentions chiefly to the Cancer problem and to
Tuberculosis.
Any findings of the Committee which are considered
relevant are placed before the Council's Public Health
Committee for their consideration.
A great drawback to the work of this Committee is the fact
that each individual member, being already in the active practice
of his profession, has only a limited amount of time at his
disposal for research.
A fully equipped pathological laboratory attached to one
of the local hospitals would be of great service to the
Borough.