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
Merton 1972
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton]
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No children with positive skin tests were known to be contacts of
notified cases of tuberculosis.
Fifty-seven children with positive skin tests were X-rayed. No
case of active disease was found.
Incidence of Tuberculosis
Primary notifications of tuberculosis received during the year
were as follows:—
Males. Females. Total.
Respiratory 18 10 28
Non-respiratory 2 3 5
This shows an increase of eight in the notifications for respiratory
tuberculosis on the figure for 1971, but that figure was abnormally
low and some increase was to be expected. The figure for 1972 is still
lower than that for 1970. It is interesting to note that the increase is
almost entirely in the 'over 60' age group and is considered by expert
opinion to be due mainly to the re-activation of old cases which may
never have been diagnosed. The total number of respiratory cases on
the tuberculosis register continues to decline and is now only just
over 400. In 1965 is was just under 900.
The table below shows the state of the Tuberculosis Register at the beginning and end of the year:—
| Respiratory | Non-Respiratory | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | F | M | F | R | Non-Respiratory | |
| No. of cases on Register at 1.1.72 | 253 | 196 | 35 | 32 | 449 | 67 |
| Primary Notifications in 1972 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 5 |
| Inward transfers in 1972 | 9 | 2 | — | — | 11 | — |
| Totals | 280 | 208 | 37 | 35 | 488 | 72 |
| Died during 1972 | 5 | 1 | - | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Recovered during 1972 | 36 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 58 | 2 |
| Transferred out in 1972 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 2 |
| Total cases removed from Register | 54 | 31 | 2 | 4 | 85 | 6 |
| No. of cases on Register 31.12.72 | 226 | 177 | 35 | 31 | 403 | 66 |
Mass X-Ray
The Mass Radiography Unit of the Regional Hospital Board,
in addition to providing a regular service for general practitioners,
carried out surveys on industrial sites and sessions were held for the
general public. The service is of great value in the early diagnosis
of pulmonary tuberculosis and non-tuberculous abnormalities.
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