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
Ealing 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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22
Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis and Polioencephalitis.
The outbreak of poliomyelitis which commenced in 1947
continues to recur each summer and autumn.
The number of cases notified during 1950 in the U.K. was
8,696 which compares with 9,195 in 1947—the worst recorded year.
In Ealing the number of notifications received was 42, and of
these 39 were confirmed.
This compares with 47 confirmed cases in 1947, of whom 6 died.
The outbreak commenced in June, and continued steadily with 2 to 4 notifications a week until the end of October, without any very definite peak.
| Paralytic | Non-Paralytic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| Under 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 1—2 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 3—4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 5—9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 10—14 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 15—24 | — | 4 | — | 1 |
| 25 + | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Total | 13 | 15 | 4 | 7 |
Three deaths occurred during the year—two females and one
male. In each case the patient was in the late twenties and appears
to have died quickly after the onset of infection. The last case was
complicated by the presence of whooping cough which imposed an
additional burden.
It has recently been shown that the virus of poliomyelitis may
be transmitted by faeces and sewage; and the raising of the standard
of food hygiene may go some way to help prevent spread in this
manner.
The public have been asked to co-operate by the avoidance
of public halls and unnecessary travel, the restriction of excessive
physical exertion and the avoidance of contact with households
where illness exists.