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
Wandsworth 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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18
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1956
Diseases Reported from Schools
A total of 2,693 infective diseases was reported from schools in
the Borough throughout the year. The numbers of each disease
were:
Scarlet Fever 119
Diphtheria 2
Measles 233
German Measles 164
Poliomyelitis 10
Chicken Pox 1,100
Whooping Cough 255
Mumps 508
Dysentery 222
Other Diseases 80
Disinfection
During the year 520 rooms were disinfected after infectious and
other disease and 471 rooms disinfested for vermin.
Bacteriological Examinations
All bacteriological examinations are carried out at the Public
Health Laboratory at County Hall under its Director, Dr. A. J. H.
Tomlinson.
The following is a summary of examinations made during the year:
| Nose and throat swabs | 591 |
| Faeces for the typhoid and dysentery groups | 5,764 |
| Miscellaneous specimens | 15 |
| Total | 6,370 |
Contacts of Infectious Disease—Exclusion from work
It is sometimes considered necessary, in order to prevent the
spread of infection, to exclude from work for a period certain contacts
of infectious disease.
This applies particularly to persons engaged in food handling and
the requisite authority for the Medical Officer of Health to exclude
such persons from work is given under regulations made under the
National Insurance Act, 1946, and the Public Health (Infectious
Disease) Regulations, 1953.
During the year six contacts of infectious disease were excluded
from work and issued with certificates enabling them to draw
National Health sickness benefit.