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 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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INFECTIVE DISEASES 17
Poliomyelitis
65 cases of this disease were reported and investigated during the
year, compared to 147 in the previous year.
In 45 cases the diagnosis was not confirmed. Of the remaining
20 confirmed cases, 11 were of the paralytic type and nine nonparalytic.
One death occurred, in a male aged 37 years.
Three-fourths of the number of cases were in age group 5 to 9
years.
Main incidence of the cases occurred in the last four months of
the year.
The figures of poliomyelitis from 1947 to 1958, 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 | 1958 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of cases reported as suspected poliomyelitis and investigated | 119 | 31 | 89 | 71 | 29 | 73 | 73 | 41 | 104 | 85 | 147 | 65 |
| No. of cases confirmed | ||||||||||||
| (a) paralytic | 78 | 15 | 58 | 40 | 4 | 23 | 19 | 5 | 22 | 24 | 43 | 11 |
| (b) non-paralytic | 7 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 27 | 15 | 28 | 9 | ||||
| Deaths | 4 | 6 | 4 | 7 | — | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Meningococcal Infection
Thirteen confirmed cases were notified, none of which proved fatal.
Sixteen other cases were investigated but these were subsequently
not confirmed.
In 1957 there were eight confirmed cases with no deaths.
Acute Encephalitis
Of 12 cases reported, five were confirmed as Acute Lymphocytic
Meningitis (Acute Infective Encephalitis) and two as Post Infectious
Encephalitis. Total seven cases for the year.
No deaths occurred.