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

Bexley 1965

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bexley]

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Table: The number of cases notified each year and the number of deaths from tuberculosis each year are shown in the following table : —

The number of cases notified each year and the number of deaths from tuberculosis each year are shown in the following table : —

19651966196719681969
No. of cases notified
(a) Pulmonary2444462326
(b) Non-pulmonary5129139
No. of deaths from Tuberculosis631225

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INVESTIGATIONS OF CONTACTS AND HOME
Visiting of cases is carried out by a Health Visitor who is employed full-time at the Chest
Clinics or by the appropriate district Health Visitor, who co-operates with the Chest Physicians.
SMALLPOX AND ENTERIC FEVER SURVEILLANCE
Persons now go abroad for business or pleasure in greatly increased numbers, manyvisiting
countries outside Europe where they are exposed to the risk of infection with diseases not
normally occurring at home.
All travellers abroad are advised in the official leaflet of the Ministry of Health (now the
the Department of Health & Social Security) "NOTICE TO TRAVELLERS" to obtain protection
against typhoid and para-typhoid fever and against smallpox if visiting countries outside Europe,
Canada and the United States of America, i.e. Africa, Asia (except Turkey), the Americas (except
U.S.A. and Canada) and anywhere else where smallpox is occurring or has recently occurred, as
notified by the World Health Organisation.
SMALLPOX SURVEILLANCE
Travellers returning direct to the United Kingdom from any of these places who cannot produce
a valid Certificate of Vaccination on arrival, are offered vaccination and if they refuse, or if for any
reason it is not carried out at the place of arrival, are placed under surveillance for fourteen days by
the Port Medical Officer of the port or airport where the person arrives. He informs the Medical
Officer of Health of the area to which the traveller states he is proceeding and a Medical Officer or
Health Visitor from the Health & Welfare Department makes daily contact with the person either
by a visit or telephone as appropriate. In some cases in order to minimise inconvenience to the
person, arrangements are made with the Medical Officer of Health of the area in which the person
works to undertake surveillance.
Unfortunately some returning travellers either deliberately give a wrong address or change their
plans and proceed to a different destination without informing anyone of their new address. Such
action is irresponsible and exposes the community to a risk which should never arise. It also adds
much work to the staff of the department.
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