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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
Kensington 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]
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The following summary shows the age and sex distribution of the cases notified and the deaths from this disease during the year:—
| Age Periods. (Years). | New Cases† | Deaths. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary. | Non-Pulmonary. | Pulmonary. | Non-Pulmonary | |||||
| M. | F. | m. | | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| 0—1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1—5 | — | — | 7 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 4 |
| 5—10 | 1 | 2 | 10 | — | 1 | 2 | ||
| 10—15 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 1 | — | 3 | |
| 15—20 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 20—25 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 8 | — | |||
| 25—35 | 23 | 29 | 4 | 5 | — | — | ||
| 35—45 | ??? | 9 | — | 1 | 15 | 4 | — | — |
| 45—55 | 12 | — | — | 12 | 5 | — | — | |
| 55—65 | 17 | 3 | — | — | 18 | 3 | — | — |
| 65 and upwards | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — |
| Totals | 88 | 90 | 33 | 41 | 72 | 42 | 14 | |
†Primary notifications of persons notified during life to be suffering from tuberculosis.
From the above table it will be seen that the disease commonly attacks people at the period of
their maximum value to the home, the family and the nation. Apart from causing deaths of
persons in the prime of life, it handicaps many by reducing their working capacity for several years
before death.
The following table shows the number of notifications of pulmonary and non-pulmonary tuberculosis received since 1919, together with the number of deaths and death-rates in each year.
| Year. | Pulmonary Tuberculosis. | Other Forms of Tuberculosis. | Tuberculosis (all forms). | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Notifications. | No. of Deaths. | Deaths per 100,000 persons living. | No. of Notifications. | No. of Deaths. | Deaths per 100,000 persons living. | No. of Deaths. | Deaths per 100,000 persons living. | |
| 1919 | 489 | 169 | 107 | 93 | 38 | 24 | 207 | 131 |
| 1920 | 293 | 135 | 114 | 44 | 27 | 179 | 109 | |
| 1921 | 153 | 87 | 32 | 185 | 105 | |||
| 1922 | 252 | 139 | 78 | 87 | 30 | 17 | 169 | 95 |
| 1923 | 117 | 66 | 123 | 35 | 19 | 152 | 85 | |
| 1924 | 236 | 67 | 78 | 29 | 149 | 83 | ||
| 1925 | 235 | 134 | 75 | 57 | 25 | 14 | 159 | 89 |
| 1926 | 248 | 130 | 72 | 69 | 30 | 17 | 160 | 89 |
| 1927 | 178 | 114 | 65 | 74 | 26 | 15 | 140 | |
It has already been stated that the number of cases of tuberculosis notified in 1927 was the
smallest on record, and the above table shows a satisfactory decline in the number of deaths
from this disease. Indeed, the number of deaths and the death rate from tuberculosis are the
lowest recorded in Kensington.
These statistics must give considerable satisfaction to members of the Borough Council and to
all those voluntary workers who have so ably supported the Local Authority on the Tuberculosis
Care Committee and in other ways in the campaign against this disease.
Tuberculosis is a preventable disease and with a continuance of the present enthusiastic efforts
by many interested workers there is no reason why the malady should not become even much less
common than it is to-day.
Deaths from Tuberculosis in 1927 Allocated to District of Usual
Residence of Patients.
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis. | Other Forms of Tuberculosis. | |
|---|---|---|
| The Borough | 114 | 26 |
| North Kensington | 82 | 24 |
| South Kensington | 32 | 2 |
| Wards. | ||
| St. Charles | 17 | 2 |
| Golborne | 27 | 10 |
| Norland | 22 | 6 |
| Pembridge | 16 | 6 |
| Holland | 7 | 1 |
| Earl's Court | 8 | — |
| Queen's Gate | 4 | — |
| Redcliffe | 6 | — |
| Brompton | 7 | 1 |