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
Chelsea 1935
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1935
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64
No cases of Small-pox, Cholera, Typhus Fever, Cerebro-Spinal Fever,
Encephalitis Lethargica, Polio-Encephalitis, Continued Fever, Relapsing
Fever, Plague, Anthrax, Glanders or Hydrophobia were notified during
the year.
DIPHTHERIA.
Notifications. -During the year 111 cases of diphtheria were notified,
as compared with 147 in the previous year. The incidence of the disease
during the past two years is shown in Table No. 41.
Deaths.—One death from the disease occurred during the year,
an adult, aged 64 years.
Return Cases.—No "return" case of the disease occurred during
the year.
TABLE No. 41.
| Year. | Cases Notified. | Percentage of Removals. | Deaths | Case Mortality Rate. | Percentage of casesof School age (3-13 years) | Monthof greatest prevalence. | Bacterioscopic Diagnosis, Lister Institute. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Specimens submitted | Positive | Percentage Positive. | Negative. | Percentage Negative. | |||||||
| 1934 | 147 | 95 | 10 | 6.9 | 55 | May | 319 | 40 | 12.5 | 279 | 87.5 |
| 1935 | 111 | 95 | 1 | 1.0 | 61 | Nov. | 263 | 25 | 9.5 | 238 | 90.5 |
It will be observed that there was a decrease in the number of cases
notified in 1935. The percentage of removals to the L.C.C. Hospitals
was high, but the case mortality rate was lower than that for 1934.
Information was received from the L.C.C. that 13 of the cases sent
to Hospital in the course of the year proved not to be suffering from
diphtheria.
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION CLINIC.
In April, 1934, the Borough Council approved an annual grant of £50
for immunisation against diphtheria and Schick testing to be carried out at
the Violet Melchett Infant Welfare Centre for children under 5 years of
age on the register of the Centre.
Early in 1935, the Borough Council arranged to extend these facilities
to children of school age, the Borough Council contributing towards the
cost of this service.
A weekly clinic has been held during the year.
In co-operation with the London County Council, leaflets have been
prepared and distributed at the various schools in the Borough. Attendances
of elementary school children for immunisation against diphtheria
at the clinic are allowed to count as attendances at school.