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
London County Council 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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7
No case of smallpox was notified in London during the year. London has now
been free from this disease since June, 1934.
Smallpox
During the year 146 cases of enteric fever and 45 cases of paratyphoid fever
were notified.
Typhoid
fever
During the year 182 notifications of cerebro-spinal fever were received, but in
25 of these the diagnosis was not confirmed. Of the 157 confirmed cases, 47 proved
fatal. In addition 17 deaths were recorded by the Registrar-General of cases
which had not been notified, making a total of 64 deaths for the vear.
Cerebrospinal
fever
Five notifications of encephalitis lethargica were received during the year.
Two of these were not confirmed, and of the 3 confirmed cases, 2 proved fatal. In
addition, the Registrar-General informed the Council of 46 deaths occurring in that
vear, making a total of 48 deaths for the vear.
Encephalitis
lethargica
During the year, 134 notifications of poliomyelitis or polioencephalitis were
received, but in 25 the diagnosis was not confirmed. Of the 109 confirmed cases,
12 proved fatal. In addition, 3 deaths were recorded by the Register-General of
cases which had not been notified, making a total of 15 deaths for the year.
Poliomyelitis
and polio.
encephalitis
The following table shows the age incidence of cases of cerebro-spinal fever, encephalitis lethargica, and poliomyelitis and polioencephalitis, including confirmed notified cases and deaths among unnotified cases:—
Table 8
| Age periods | Under 3 | 3-5 | 5-10 | 10-20 | 20-30 | 30-40 | 40-50 | 50-60 | Over 60 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerebro-spinal fever | 53 | 11 | 21 | 30 | 32 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 174 |
| Encephalitis lethargica | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 49 |
| Poliomyelitis and polioencephalitis | 22 | 26 | 31 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 112 |
The following statement shows the number of cases, notified and confirmed, and the number of deaths, including deaths among unnotified cases, recorded in the Registrar-General's death returns :—
| 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerebrospinal fever— | |||||
| No8. notified and confirmed | 124 | 89 | 99 | 155 | 157 |
| Deaths among cases notified and confirmed | 62 | 50 | 52 | 65 | 47 |
| Deaths among cases notified in previous years | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Deaths among unnotified cases | 15 | 19 | 24 | 28 | 17 |
| Encephalitis lethargica— | |||||
| Nos. notified and confirmed | 24 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 3 |
| Deaths among cases notified and confirmed | 6 | 4 | 4 | — | 2 |
| Deaths among cases notified in previous years | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| Deaths among unnotified cases | 27 | 26 | 49 | 50 | 43 |
| Poliomyelitis and polioencephalitis— | |||||
| Nos. notified and confirmed | 65 | 82 | 37 | 97 | 109 |
| Deaths among cases notified and confirmed | 4 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 12 |
| Deaths among cases notified in previous years | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| Deaths among unnotified cases | 8 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3 |
In 1938 particulars were received of 270 cases of food poisoning notified to the
borough medical officers of health under the provisions of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1936. The number for the year 1937 was 458. Three of the notified cases
died, one as the result of tyhoid infection.
Food
poisoning