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 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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18 REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1957
Poliomyelitis
147 cases of this disease were reported and investigated during the
year, compared to 85 in the previous year.
In 76 cases the diagnosis was not confirmed. Of the remaining 71
confirmed cases, 43 were of the paralytic type and 28 non-paralytic.
Four deaths occurred, in males aged respectively 6, 12 and 52 years,
and a female aged 10 years.
Approximately half the number of cases were in age group 5 to
9 years.
Of the total cases for the year, slightly more than one third came
from the S.E. corner of the borough and the bulk of these cases
occurred during the first 6 months. From July onwards, the cases
became more widely distributed with a slight concentration in the
N.W. area.
The figures of poliomyelitis from 1947 to 1957, the period during which the incidence of the disease in this country has been high, is shown in the following table:-
| 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of cases reported as suspected poliomyelitis and investigated | 119 | 31 | 89 | 71 | 29 | 73 | 73 | 41 | 104 | 85 | 147 |
| No. of cases confirmed | |||||||||||
| (a) paralytic | 78 | 15 | 58 | 40 | 4 | 23 | 19 | 5 | 22 | 24 | 43 |
| (b) non-paralytic | 7 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 27 | 15 | 28 | ||||
| Deaths | 4 | 6 | 4 | 7 | — | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Meningococcal Infection
Eight confirmed cases were notified, none of which proved fatal.
Eighteen other cases were investigated but these were subsequently
not confirmed.
In 1956 there were four confirmed cases with no deaths.
Acute Encephalitis
Of 16 cases reported one was confirmed as Acute Infective
Encephalitis and two as Post Infectious Encephalitis. Total three
cases for the year.
No deaths occurred.