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
Hornsey 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornsey, Borough of]
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All sessions were attended to capacity and 5,054 persons were x-rayed,
2,897 in organised groups and 2,157 at the public sessions. The Health
Department can claim a great measure of credit for the excellent response,
as during the few weeks previous the department had sent letters to shops
and factories in the Borough and an open letter was published in both
of the local newspapers urging the public to accept the facilities offered
for x-ray of the chest. The local branch of the Women's Voluntary
Service co-operated with the Department in distributing leaflets to private
houses in the Borough. The welfare centres and the health visitors also
assisted greatly in publicising the visit of the x-ray unit. As a result of
the excellent response of the public, arrangements have been made for
the unit to spend four weeks in Hornsey during the Autumn of 1952.
The numbers examined were as follows:—
| Male | Female | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number x-rayed | 2,196 | 2,858 | 5,054 |
| Numbers recalled for large films | 55 | 44 | 99 |
| Those recalled were dealt with as follows:— | |||
| No further action | 24 | 22 | 46 |
| Further advice recommended | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| Recheck at Unit at later date | 12 | 2 | 14 |
| Did not attend | 3 | - | 3 |
| 55 | 44 | 99 | |
School children examined (these figures are included above):—
| Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|
| X-rayed356 | 605 | 961 |
| Recalled for large films 7 | 4 | 11 |
| Those recalled were dealt with as follows:— | ||
| No further action 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Further advice recommended 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | 4 | 11 |
None of the schoolchildren proved to be active cases.
Poliomyelitis, a seriously damaging infectious disease is met only
infrequently in epidemic form. Last year three paralytic cases occurred
in Hornsey but each was in a mild form and all three made a complete
recovery. Whooping cough continues to be a serious disease of early childhood,
often associated with respiratory and other complications. Research
in recent years supports the value of the use of prophylactic vaccine in
preventing this disease. Fifteen cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified
during the year. Thirteen of this number were notified after the introduction
on the 1st August, 1951, of the new Puerperal Pyrexia Regulations,
1951, which created a change in definition. Now any febrile condition
occuring in a woman in whom a temperature of 100° F. or more has
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