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
Southwark 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]
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173
GRAPH No. 2.
This graph refers entirely to non-pulmonary tuberculosis (i.e.,
tuberculosis of bones, joints, glands, etc.), and here is seen the most
remarkable improvement which has been progressive throughout the
sixteen years under review.
The factors described in Graph No. 1 have probably had some effect
in this sphere, but there is no doubt that the plentiful supply of safe
(i.e., pasteurised) milk is largely responsible for the dramatic decrease
from this form of tuberculosis.
GRAPH No. 3.
This graph shows the percentage of the total deaths from pulmonary
tuberculosis in each age group over different periods.
The peaks in the 25 to 35 and in the 45 to 55 age groups may be
taken as the deaths arising from the periods of maximum incidence of
the disease—i.e., 15 to 25 and 35 to 45. It will be noticed that these
peaks are less defined in the period 1931 to 1935, and that the deaths
are increased in the 55 to 65 group. The assumption from this is that
patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis are living longer, and
this may be ascribed to improved methods of treatment and to better
conditions in general.
Working from this graph the following interesting figures arise:—
(A) Return showing the work of the Dispensary (or Dispensaries).
| Diagnosis. | Pulmonary. | Non-Pulmonary | Total. | Grand Total. | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults | Children | Adults | Children | Adults | Children | ||||||||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | ||||
| A.—New Cases examined during the year (excluding contacts):— | |||||||||||||||
| 62 | 32 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 69 | 38 | 4 | 7 | 118 | |||
| (b) Diagnosis not completed | 26 | 6 | 6 | 6 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 26 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 46 | ||
| (c) Non-tuberculous | 69 | 49 | 5 | 7 | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | 71 | 49 | 6 | 10 | 136 | ||
| B.—Contacts examined during the year:— | |||||||||||||||
| 6 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | |||
| (b) Diagnosis not completed | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | ||||
| (c) Non-tuberculous | 42 | 57 | 75 | 61 | — | 1 | — | — | 42 | 58 | 75 | 61 | 236 | ||
| C.—Cases written off the Dispensary Register as:— | |||||||||||||||
| (a) Recovered | 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 38 | ||
| (6) Non-tuberculous (including any such cases previously diagnosed and entered on the Dispensary Register as tuberculous) | 114 | 106 | 80 | 69 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 116 | 107 | 81 | 72 | 376 | ||
| D.—Number of Cases on Dispensary Register on December 31st:— | |||||||||||||||
| (a) Definitely tuberculous | 276 | 148 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 28 | 15 | 23 | 299 | 176 | 36 | 46 | 557 | ||
| (b) Diagnosis not completed | 27 | 9 | 6 | 9 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 27 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 56 | ||
| 1. Number of cases on Dispensary Register on January 1st | 653 | 2. Number of cases transferred from other areas and cases returned after discharge under Head 3 in previous years | 50 | ||||||||||||
| 3. Number of cases transferred to other areas, cases not desiring further assistance under the scheme, and cases "lost sight of " | 153 | 4. Cases written off during the year as Dead (all causes) | 80 | ||||||||||||
| 5. Number of attendances at the Dispensary (including Contacts) | 4315 | 6. Number of Insured Persons under Domiciliary Treatment on the 31st December | 56 | ||||||||||||
| 7. Number of consultations with medical practitioners:— | 8. Number of visits by Tuberculosis Officers to homes (including personal consultations) | 315 | |||||||||||||
| (a) Personal | 16 | ||||||||||||||
| (b) Other | 229 | ||||||||||||||
| 9. Number of visits by Nurses or Health Visitors to homes for Dispensary purposes | 4139 | 10. Number of: — | |||||||||||||
| 495 | |||||||||||||||
| (b) X-ray examinations made in connection with Dispensary work. | 988 | ||||||||||||||
| 11. Number of "Recovered" cases restored to Dispensary Register, and included in A (a) and A (ft) above | 2 | 12. Number of "T.B, plus" cases on Dispensary Register on December 31st.. | 297 | ||||||||||||
Less reliance must be placed on the figure given for 1936 because
the period under review is shorter, but the figure is indicative of an
increasing control of the disease.