Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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From the above tables it will be seen that of the total of 6,939 persons examined,
69 showed evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis; 15 of this number wore found to have active
disease at the time of examination, i.e., 9 males and 6 females. The combined rate for
active tuberculosis discovered was 2.16 per 1,000 examinees. The rate for males was 2.70
and for females 1.66. The combined rate per 1,000 for active tuberculosis is in keeping
with the findings of the previous year (2.17). There was, however, a marked drop in the
number of cases of bronchial carcinomata discovered (2 in 1955, 15 in 1954). The rate
per 1,000 for Inactive tuberculosis was 7.78.
In this survey attendances by the public, from firms, of scholars and of patients referred by private practitioner were as follows
Group | Male | Female | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Public | 1,216 | 1,753 | l2,969 |
Firms | 1,160 | 979 | 2,139 |
Scholars | 796 | 746 | 1,542 |
Referred by Doctors | 154 | 135 | 289 |
Totals | 3,326 | 3,613 | 6,939 |
As a result of this survey, 13 school children were asked to attend the Chest Clinic
for further examination. Among these were found 4 active cases and one case which was still
under observation at the end of the year and which was subsequently confirmed as tuberculosis.
In addition, a survey was carried out in July at a secondary school for boys when 275
scholars and 7 members of the staff were examined. One member of the staff and 1 child were
recalled with negative results. A further survey was arranged at a primary school as a
result of a school teacher being found to have tuberculosis. One-hundred-and-sixty-two boys,
201 girls and 3 members of the staff were examined and of these 4 boys and 2 girls were
recalled again with negative results.
The following statistics have also been supplied by Dr,Lawless, Medical Director of
the Mass Radiography Unit, 6b., to whom i am greatly indebted for his ready co-operation.
A total of 15,069 miniature X-ray examinations were carried out in the Borough of
West Ham during the year 1955; of this number 8,302 were males and 6,767 were females.
Of the total examined, 288 males and 207 females were recalled for further large
film examination.
The numbers falling into the various age groups were as follows:—
Under 14 | 14 | 15-19 | 20-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65 + | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Males | 367 | 593 | 696 | 601 | 1,925 | 1,694 | 1,442 | 542 | 325 | 157 |
Females | 207 | 540 | 948 | 1,021 | 1,693 | l,l4l | 776 | 225 | 113 | 103 |
Totals | 574 | 1,133 | 1,644 | 1,622 | 3,618 | 2,795 | 2,218 | 767 | 438 | 260 |