London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Merton and Morden 1962

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]

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TUBERCULOSIS
Fifty-three new cases were added to the register of tuberculous
persons, compared with 55 in 1961.

These additions were:—

MalesFemalesTotal
Pulmonary312051
Non-Pulmonary112
322153

Of these 53, 31 were primary notifications, 21 were transferred from
other districts and one came to notice in another way.
During the year 85 persons were removed from the register for the
following reasons:—
Recovered 29
Removed from the district 42
Death 14
The provision of treatment and investigation of Tuberculosis is the
responsibility of the Regional Hospital Board, the County Council being
responsible for the preventive side of this work.
No action was taken under the Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis)
Regulations, 1925, which give power to prohibit the handling of
milk by infectious tuberculous persons, nor under Section 172 of the
Public Health Act, 1936, which provides for the removal of an infectious
person to hospital.
A table shewing the new cases recorded during the year, their age
groups and manner of admission to the register can be seen on page 49 of
this report.
TUBERCULOSIS AND CHEST DISEASES CARE COMMITTEE
This voluntary Committee, originally constituted as the Merton and
Morden Tuberculosis Care Committee to assist local tuberculous families,
extended the scope of its activities in 1959 to include chest and heart
cases other than those of tubercular origin which are referred to it from the
chest clinics. It consists of representatives of various organisations together
with independent members and, ex-officio, the Medical Officer of
Health, Chest Physician, Tuberculosis Health Visitors and the Care
Almoner. It supplies voluntary aid to patients and their families as an
addition to the statutory assistance which is available and thereby helps
to make life easier for these unfortunate people.
The Committee's main source of income is derived from the sale of
Christmas Seals, which, for the year ended 31st March, 1963, showed a
profit of £214 0s. 9d. This, together with various grants, donations and
47