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
Kensington 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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23
Milk and Dairies Order.
Two prosecutions under this Order were instituted in respect
of the dirty condition of milk bottles. In each case a penalty
of £5 and costs to the Council of £1.1s.0d. were imposed.
Council's B.ye-laws.
Dog Nuisances. Six cases wore successfully prosecuted and
fines amounting to £2.15s.6d. were imposed.
Housing Act. 1936.
Overcrowding. In seven cases summonses were issued in
respect of overcrowding offences. In three cases convictions
were obtained and fines amounting to £10 were imposed. In the
remaining four cases the summonses were withdrawn as the
overcrowding had been abated.
Contravention of Closing Orders. Five summonses were issued
in respect of the illegal occupation of underground rooms.
Convictions were obtained in four cases and fines amounting to
£4.10s.6d. were imposed. In the fifth case the summons was
withdrawn as the contravention had been abated.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
The following table shows the number of cases of infectious disease notified during the year 1947, with comparative figures for the previous seven years:-
| Notifiable disease. | Number of cases notified. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 1946 | 1945 | 1944 | 1943 | 1942 | 1941 | 1940 | |
| Scarlet Fever. | 98 | 195 | 136 | 74 | 216 | 108 | 91 | 82 |
| Diphtheria (including Membranous Croup.) | 23 | 37 | 19 | 29 | 54 | 78 | 86 | 54 |
| Enteric Fever. | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 11 |
| Puerperal Fever. | 3 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia. | 9 | 8 | 12 | 23 | 25 | 7 | 11 | 18 |
| Acute primary pneumonia and acute influenzal pneumonia. | 103 | 111 | 81 | 91 | 133 | 91 | 65 | 59 |
| Dysentery. | 21 | 49 | 142 | 43 | 73 | 68 | 25 | 15 |
| Erysipelas. | 34 | 37 | 33 | 16 | 37 | 30 | 43 | 47 |
| Cerebro-spinal meningitis | 7 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 22 | 45 |
| Malaria. | 4 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Poliomyelitis and polio | ||||||||
| encephalitis. | 27 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Encephalitis lethargica. | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | ||||
| Tuberculosis (all forms). | 259 | 210 | 188 | 211 | 202 | 203 | 234 | 200 |
| Measles. | 852 | 264 | 868 | 102 | 624 | 365 | 366 | 242 |
| Ophthalmia neonatorum. | 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
| Enteritis. + | 102 | 69 | 100 | 71 | 69 | 96 | 48 | 12 |
| Food poisoning. | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| Acute rheumatism.* | 11 | 15 | 32 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| Scabies. /- | 239 | 463 | 460 | 363 | 252 | |||
| Whooping Cough. | 274 | 209 | 62 | 189 | 102 | 146 | 176 | 16 |
+ Notifiable only in children under the age of 5 years.
* Notifiable only in children under the age of 16 years,
/- Notifiable as from 1st August,1943.
Note. Cases of mistaken diagnosis are excluded from the
above table.