London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Coulsdon and Purley 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Coulsdon]
This page requires JavaScript
are some of the additional reasons why eradication is likely to be protracted.
During the year 7 sessions a week were held (2 being evening
sessions), at some of which voluntary helpers from the original Civil
Defence staff continued to assist the 2 part-time paid workers. With the
reduction in the number of cases it has become practicable to reduce
correspondingly the number of sessions, which are now only held on
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday mornings and Tuesday and Saturday
evenings.
(b) Vermin.
The number of cases of infestation was again very small and was
mostly limited to cases of head lice discovered at the schools. One case
with pubic and two with head infestations were treated at the Scabies
treatment centre, which may in future be called upon to undertake more
of this work as a result of the policy involved in the Education Act, 1944.
No alteration was made during 1946 in the procedure for dealing with
these cases as far as possible as a family unit.
THE CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
The place of immunisation among the measures for the control of
infectious disease was discussed in the 1945 Report and there has been no
outstanding change in our knowledge or practice since that Report was
completed.
Diphtheria Immunisation.
The following table shows the treatment given during the last 2 years and the proportion of children estimated to have been immunised in each:–
| 1945. | 1946. | |
|---|---|---|
| Clinics. | ||
| Number of sessions held during the year | 74 | 59 |
| Number of children who commenced treatment | g66 | 476 |
| Number who completed treatment | 668 | 506 |
| Number of Schick tests made | 7 | 3 |
| Number of "Booster" doses given | 98 | 136 |
| Total number of attendances | 1,427 | 1,168 |
| Schools. | ||
| Number of visits made | – | 100 |
| Number commencing treatment | – | 281 |
| Number completed treatment | – | 292 |
| Number of Schick tests made | – | 1,437 |
| Number of " Booster doses given | – | 2,095 |
| Proportion of children estimated to have been immunised: (a) from 1-5 years | 56% | 44% |
| (b) from 5-14 years | 90% | 90% |
The smaller number of clinic sessions held during 1946. corresponds to
the reduced demand which, in part at least, was attributable to the fall
in the birth rate which occurred in 1945. The children attending the clinics
26