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 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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(b) Contact Tracing and B.C.G. Vaccination.
As soon as a case of tuberculosis comes to the notice of the Chest Physician, the
Tuberculosis Health Visitor calls at the home address and ascertains as far as possible
the members of the family and any other people who have been in contact. Discreet and
tactful enquiries are also made about contacts outside the Immediate family circle.
Adult contacts have a chest x-ray examination at periodic intervals. Child contacts
are tuberculin tested and those found to be tubereulin positive are x-rayed while tuberculin
negative cases may be given B.C.G. vaccination. Surveillance of each case is continued for
as long as Is necessary depending upon the circumstances.
The following table shows the numbers of contacts given B.C.G. vaccination during the past five years :-
| Age | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-1 | 28 | 46 | 59 | 70 | 51 |
| 1-2 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 12 |
| 2-3 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 11 |
| 3-4 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 13 | 9 |
| 4 - 5 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 16 | |
| Over 5 | 32 | 49 | 73 | 111 | 45 |
| TOTAL | 91 | 125 | 173 | 235 | 132 |
In addition, 8 nurses employed at hospitals In the Borough were given B.C.G. vaccination.
bpeelal clinic sessions are held for contact cases and during the past year 6O5
contacts were examined as a result of 157 new cases, giving an average number of 3.85 contacts
per notified case.
Tha figures for this work in relation to those of previous years are:-
| Year | New contacts examined | New notified cases on Clinic Register | Average number of contacts examined per notified case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 421 | 186 | 2.26 |
| 1951 | 643 | 196 | 3.28 |
| 1952 | 202 | 3.93 | |
| 1953 | 916 | 226 | 4.05 |
| 1954 | 996 | 194 | 5.13 |
| 1955 | 605 | 157 | 3.85 |
As a further step in the campaign of prevention, the Tuberculosis Health Visitors
are informed of all deaths from tuberculosis and In those Instances where the case has not
been notified during life, a tactful home visit is paid as in the ordinary notified case
to ascertain the contacts. The routine procedure of examination is subsequently followed.
(c) Rehabilitation and Employment of Known Cases of Tuberculosis.
Rehabilitation is a continuous process from the time of diagnosis of the disease until
the patient is finally placed in his own or in alternative employment or is made as fit as is
Possible to lead a reasonably useful life in the community. To this end the Local Authority
Provides help in a number of ways - through the Home Help service to give the housewife the
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