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 1954
[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, a total of 521 against 827 in 1953.
Scarlet Fever cases number 77 against 79, and Measles cases 236
against 429 in 1953.
Food Poisoning and Sonne Dysentery showed a decline with 64 cases
as against 181 in the previous year. 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.
In this connection 144 specimens were submitted for examination.
Arrangements were made for food handlers found to be positive to
carry on non-food-handling duties until successfully treated.
For the fourth successive year there was no case of Diphtheria reported.
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 | 2 | 11 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Scarlet Fever | 5 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 30 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 77 | ||||||||
| Erysipelas | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | ||||||||||||
| Acute Poliomyelitis | n | n | n | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | |||||||
| Dysentery | I | n | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 56 | ||||
| Acute Pneumonia | n | n | 2 | n | n | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 15* | |||
| Measles | 5 | 9 | 26 | 19 | 23 | 27 | 71 | 56 | 236 | |||||||||
| Whooping Cough | 4 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 23 | 22 | 1 | 91 | ||||||||
| Scabies | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |||||||||||
| Zymotic Enteritis | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||
| Food Poisoning | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | ||||||||||||
| Ophthalmia Neonatorium | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| TOTALS | 12 | 13 | 46 | 34 | 55 | 48 | 139 | 112 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 521 | 16 |
No cases of smallpox, anthrax, para-typhoid fever, tvphoid fever, diphtheria, or cerebrospinal
meningitis, or puerperal pyrexia were notified.
* 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.