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

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Malden and Coombe 1946

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Malden & Coombe]

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14
GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES IN
THE AREA.

The following table shows the number of pathological examinations during the past year:—

Types of SpecimenResults Positive NegativeTotals
TuberculosisSputa44549
Haemolytic StreptococciSwabs41014
DiphtheriaSwabs101,4661,476
Typhoid—Dysentery GroupRectal Swabs11819
Miscellaneous437
Totals231,5421,565

A number of samples of milk were submitted for bacterial
count or for the presence of tubercle bacilli, details of which
will be found in the report of the Sanitary Inspector.
TREATMENT OF RHEUMATISM.
Details of the Council's scheme for the treatment of
rheumatism were given in my report for 1943. The general
arrangements continued successfully during the year, the cost
of the scheme to the Council being £1,240. During the year
93 new patients attended, and a total of 7,107 treatments was
given.
I am indebted to Dr. Francis Bach, consultant in
rheumatic diseases to the Red Cross Curative Post for the
following note:—
" During the last year, at the Rheumatic Clinic, 151
patients were seen by me. There were 442 consultations
and 3,870 attendances were recorded. In a large number
of these patients, X-ray investigations and blood tests
were carried out. They were treated by various forms
of physical treatment and, in 7 cases, a temporary plaster
splint was made. 13 patients were treated for periods
considerably longer than that covered by the routine two
courses; of these 8 patients could well be considered as
chronic cripples who, without the assistance of the Clinic,
would have been bed-ridden. Three of them were taken
into St. Stephen's Hospital Rheumatic Unit under my care