§ 37. Sir Waldron Smithersasked the Minister of Health how many X-ray installations there are in the county of Buckingham available for tuberculosis patients.
§ Mr. WillinkI am informed that six X-ray installations are available for the examination of tuberculosis patients in the county of Buckingham, including one at Northampton, which is used by arrangement with the Northampton Corporation.
§ 39. Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Health what was the death-rate from tuberculosis in the London area from 1939 to the latest convenient date; and how does that compare with a similar pre-war period.
§ Mr. WillinkAs the reply involves a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Sir W. SmithersThat happened yesterday. If the answer is circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT what chance have I, Mr. Speaker, of raising the matter on the Adjournment, as I wish to do?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member must not ask a leading question like that.
§ Sir W. SmithersThen I beg to give notice that at the earliest opportunity I shall raise, on the Adjournment, the whole question of the treatment and care of tuberculosis.
§ Following is the reply:
| Tuberculosis: all forms London Administrative County. | |||
| Death rates per 1,000 population 1935–43 (excluding non-civilians from 3rd September, 1939). | |||
| Rate per 1000. | |||
| 1935 | … | .746 | based on total deaths and total population. |
| 1936 | … | .755 | |
| 1937 | … | .771 | |
| 1938 | … | .704 | |
| 1939 | … | .760 | excluding non-civilians from 3rd Sept., 1939. |
| 1940 | … | .974 | based on civilian deaths and civilian population. |
| 1941 | … | 1.248 | |
| 1942 | … | 1.017 | |
| 1943 | … | .984 |
§ These figures represent the deaths of both sexes and at all ages from tuberculosis per 1,000 total population up to September, 1939, and per 1,000 of the civilian population after that date. They do not indicate the trend of tuberculosis mortality in London because, (1) great changes have occurred since 1939 in the sex and age proportions of London's population and (2) medical selection for the Services leaves behind the bulk of tuberculosis persons in the civilian population. Death-rates for separate sex-age groups, which alone can indicate the real trend of mortality, cannot be calculated for local areas for years since 1939 because the requisite populations are not known in detail of sex and age.