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
Deptford 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford Borough]
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8
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
General
The total number of cases of notifiable infectious disease was again
below that of the previous year.
Scarlet Fever cases numbered 79 against 140, and Measles cases 429
against 849 in 1952.
Food Poisoning and Sonne Dysentery (often closely allied) showed an
increase particularly during the early summer months. Wherever a case
was reported, contacts were tested and very often other cases were discovered.
All positive cases were given letters to their medical advisors
regarding treatment and specimens were taken until the patient was
clear of infection.
Arrangements were made for food handlers found to be positive to
carry on non-food-handling duties until successfully treated.
Infectious Diseases. Corrected Notifications.
| 0-1 years | 1-2 years | 2-5 years | 5-15 years | 15-25 years | 25-45 years | 45-65 years | over 65 years | Total | Deaths | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | |||
| Meningococcal Inf. | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Scarlet Fever | 8 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 20 | 27 | 2 | 79 | ||||||||||
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Erysipelas | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| Acute Poliomyelitis | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 11 | ||||||||||
| Dysentery | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 25 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 102 | ||
| Acute Pneumonia | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 52* | ||||||
| Measles | 7 | 9 | 45 | 56 | 73 | 71 | 80 | 84 | 2 | 2 | 429 | |||||||
| Whooping Cough | 7 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 22 | 28 | 1 | 111 | ||||||||
| Scabies | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Zymotic Enteritis | 1 | _ | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Food Poisoning | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 59 | |||||
| Ophthalmia Neonatorium | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| TOTALS | 21 | 18 | 70 | 77 | 108 | 107 | 153 | 170 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 28 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 827 | 52 |
No cases of smallpox, anthrax, para-typhoid fever, typhoid fever, diphtheria, or cerebrospinal
meningitis.
• Includes deaths from all forms of pneumonia.
Tuberculosis
All new cases in the Borough, whether or not they are transferred
from other areas, are visited by the Sanitary Inspectors in order to
ascertain the housing conditions and to see if any improvements can, or
should, be effected.