[Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, St Albans City & R.D.C.

  • St. Albans (England). City & Rural District Council.
Date:
1950
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, St Albans City & R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    33/48 (page 31)
    These figures show a disturbing rise in the total numbers of people suffering from T.B. in the area especially in those with Pulmonary disease. Probably there are several factors involved. Housing, despite all the efforts of the two councils is, I am afraid, no better over all than it was in 1946. Owing to the effects of the rent restrictions acts and the continued rise in the cost of repairs more houses are falling into the class which ought to be, but, under present circumstances, cannot be demolished, than are being built. Shortage of hospital beds is undoubtedly another factor, but this area is much more fortunate than most in this respect. This affects not only the cure of cases with the disease but also increases the chance of such cases infecting others and is in fact a vicious circle. Modern treatment with antibiotics, etc., can undoubtedly be given safely at home if the home conditions are reasonably good, thus saving hospital beds, but there remains some element of risk of the patient spreading the infection. Lastly, the visit of the Mass Radiography Unit may have had the effect of pushing up the numbers slightty owing to cases being found by that means which would not have been diagnosed other¬ wise. Owing to the opening of a privately run Hostel for 40 ambulant T.B. cases from the L.C.C. early this year the register is certain to show an increase at the end of 1951. This is a Hostel, not a Nursing Home, and as such we have very little control of it, but it is idle to pretend that the influx of 40 infectious cases, free to visit licensed premises, etc., in the area does not increase the risk of infection to the local inhabitants. Further, as and when they require hospital treatment they occupy local T.B. hospital beds to the detriment of local hospital waiting lists. I was not consulted in any way by the owner or the L.C.C. as to the opening of this Hostel and I consider the site chosen by no means ideal for such a purpose. The disposal of ambulant cases of Pulmonary T.B. who have no homes to go to is certainly a very difficult problem but I would submit that when one Local Authority, in this case the L.C.C., wish to place them in the area of another Local Authority, some measure of consultation should take place. The first steps for a full scale trial of B.C.G. Vaccine have been carried out in some schools in the city. This vaccine has shown definite results in Scandinavia and U.S.A. and I am very hopeful of it showing equally good results here, but it will take five to ten 3^ears before even tentath’e deductions can be made.