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
Croydon 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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Analysis of all cases admitted with corrected diagnoses (the figures for cases admitted from the Croydon Borough are given ill brackets):—
| Scarlet Fever | 434 | (414) | Puerperal Pyrexia | 8 (8) |
| Whooping Cough | 41 | (38) | Non-Patient Babies | 9 (9) |
| Measles | 37 | (34) | Infections of the Newborn | 3 (3) |
| Poliomyelitis and | Pneumonia | 13 (12) | ||
| Encephalitis | 29 | (27) | Tonsillitis | 22 (20) |
| Gastro-Enteritis | 22 | (21) | Streptococcal Sore Throat | 9 (9) |
| Chicken-Pox | 33 | (26) | Otitis Media | 3 (3) |
| Mumps | 17 | (16) | Quinsy | 1 (1) |
| Dysentery | 17 | (14) | Impetigo | 1 (1) |
| Food Poisoning | 6 | (4) | Gastritis | 2 (2) |
| Meningitis | 2 | (2) | Stomatitis | 1 (1) |
| Diphtheria | 1 | (1) | Appendicitis | 1 (0) |
| Typhoid Fever | 1 | (1) | Melasma | 1 (1) |
| Paratyphoid Fever | 1 | (1) | Indigestion | 2 (1) |
| Infective Hepatitis | 3 | (3) | Toxic Erythema | 4 (4) |
| Erysipelas | 10 | (8) | Urticaria | 3 (3) |
| Rubella | 4 | (3) | Herpes Zoster | 2 (2) |
| Bronchitis | 14 | (13) | Drug Rash | 2 (1) |
| Pharyngitis | 16 | (16) | Infective Dermatitis | 1 (1) |
| Influenza | 4 | (4) | Cellulitis | 1 (1) |
| Common Cold | 2 | (2) | Breast Abscess | 1 (1) |
| Laryngitis | 1 | (1) | Rheumatic Endocarditis | 1 (0) |
| Lymphadenitis | 2 | (1) | Uraemia | 1 (1) |
| Non-Patient Mothers | 4 | (4) | Haemoptysis | 1 (1) |
| Pyrexia of Unknown Origin | 1 (1) |
Diseases shown in the table other than acute specific infections
mostly relate to changes in diagnosis. Most cases of fhe
milder infectious diseases were admitted from other general
hospitals and required to remain in hospital for pre-existing
disease. Other infectious cases were admitted for clinical or
nublic health reasons. With the opening of the maternity isolation
block in Mayday Hospital, admission of puerperal cases was discontinued
by the end of May. Tn the latter half of the year fewer
beds were available for infectious cases and a certain number of
local cases had to be admitted to fever hospitals elsewhere.
IMMUNISATION AGAINST DIPHTHERIA.
A total of 3,089 new cases came from the following
sources:—
School Children 587
Children under 5 2,502
Of these, 75 failed to return for completion of the course.
Routine Posterior Schick Testing was discontinued in
November, the efficiency of the antigens in use being so well
established.
Reinforcing injections are now being recommended, just
before the child starts school, and again at 10 years of age, i.e., at
about 5-vearly intervals. The number of such injections given
during the year was 4,512.