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
West Ham 1926
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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83
The Average Duration of Residence (both sexes) was
108.25 days.
The average for males was 106.18 days, and for females
110.62 days.
The grades of cases discharged and the results of treatment were as follows:—
| T.B. minus. | T.B. plus. Grade I. | T.B. plus. Grade II. | T.B. plus, Grade III. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | 49 ... | 11 ... | 32 ... | 57 ... | 149 |
| Females | 40 ... | 3 ... | 21... | 31 ... | 95 |
| Males— | |||||
| Ouiescent | 28 ... | 9... | 8 ... | 0 | |
| Improved | 17 ... | 1 (a)... | 24 ... | 43 | |
| No material improvement | 4 ... | 1(b) | 0 ... | 14 | |
| Total | . 49 | 11 | 32 | 57 | |
| (a) Did not complete treatment. | |||||
| (b) Only remained 8 days. | |||||
| Females— | |||||
| Ouiescent | 22 ... | 1... | 2 ... | 0 | |
| Improved | 17 ... | 2... | 17 ... | 12 | |
| No material improvement | 1... | 0 ... | 2 ... | 19 | |
| Total | 40 ... | 3 ... | 21 ... | 31 | |
The average gain in weight was 8¾lbs.
The results of treatment obtained during the year emphasise
again how very important early diagnosis and treatment
is in Pulmonary Tuberculosis, but even where the
diagnosis is made early and treatment available, it is very disappointing
year after year to see the number of patients that
take their discharge before they have received the maximum
benefit, in many cases only to return again much worse. If
patients in many instances could only realise that returning
home in indifferent health makes the situation worse, many