HC Deb 15 July 1941 vol 373 cc438-9
33. Mrs. Hardie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether there has been any increase in the number of cases of tuberculosis reported this year in Scotland; and if so, will he state the age and sex groups where the increase has taken place?

Mr. Johnston

With the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing quarterly tuberculosis notifications for Scotland in the last 4½years. While these figures show that tuberculosis declined steadily until 1940, I regret to say that since the early part of that year an upward trend has been observed. Information as to the ages and sex of patients will not be available until after the end of the year.

Mrs. Hardie

Will my right hon. Friend use his influence to see that young girls do not have to work too long hours in bad workshops and factories?

Mr. Johnston

I think that is a matter for another Member of the Government, but I will certainly draw his attention to that point.

Mr. Kirkwood

Can my right hon. Friend tell us what is the reason for the upward move in the number of persons who have contracted tuberculosis?

Mr. Johnston

I do not think there is one reason; I think there are many reasons. There are the question of the black-out and its effects on the nerves; intensification of effort in workshops, the long winter, and sometimes the fact that workers have had to move from their ordinary habitations and take less comfortable quarters.

Mr. David Adams

Would not my right hon. Friend add to the entertaining list the quality of the milk supply?

Dr. Edith Summerskill

Would my. right hon. Friend say that part of the increase is due to the insufficiency of nurses and that patients are being sent from our sanatoria before they are completely well, to contact their families?

Mr. Johnston

I have no evidence of that in Scotland, but if my hon. Friend will give me any evidence on that point, the Department for which I am responsible will look into it.

Following is the table:

Period. Pulmonary. Non-Pulmonary. Total. Total for the Year.
1937—
1st Quarter 1,311 796 2,107
2nd Quarter 1.341 845 2,186
3rd Quarter 1,093 580 1,673
4th Quarter 1,032 596 1,628 7.594
1938—
1st Quarter 1.305 758 2,063
2nd Quarter 1.347 873 2,220
3rd Quarter 1,039 555 1.594
4th Quarter 1,066 541 1,607 7.484
1939—
1st Quarter 1,306 6.57 1,963
2nd Quarter 1,414 821 2,235
3rd Quarter 976 493 1,469
4th Quarter 1,023 486 1,509 7,176
1940—
1st Quarter 1,206 555 1,761
2nd Quarter 1.519 771 2,290
3rd Quarter 1,219 616 1.835
4th Quarter 1,165 619 1.784 7,670
1941—
1st Quarter 1.337 600 1.937
2nd Quarter 1.637 778 2,415