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
Penge 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Penge]
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8
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS AND OTHER
DISEASES.
Diphtheria.
For the fourth year in succession no cases of Diphtheria occurred in the
district.
The following is a return of the number of children resident in the district who were immunised against diphtheria during the year:—
| Children born 1947-1951 | Children born 1937-1946 | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary inoculations | 407 | 85 | 492 |
| Reinforcing | 36 | 574 | 610 |
Penge children under the age of 15 years on 31st December, 1951, who had
completed a course of immunisation at any time before that date were as
follows:—
Aged 0-4 years inclusive 1,588
,, 5-14 3,, ,, 197
These figures show a continued steady increase in the number of children
immunised.
Smallpox.
No case was notified. A contact of cases notified elsewhere was kept under
observation for the requisite period.
The following shows the number of Penge residents who were vaccinated against smallpox during the year.
| Age at 31/12/51. | Under 1 | 1 to 4 | 5 to 14. | 15 or over | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaccinated | 209 | 171 | 59 | 27 | 466 |
| Re-vaccinated | - | 8 | 16 | 98 | 122 |
Scarlet Fever.
There were 43 cases of Scarlet Fever notified (as against 15 in 1950) and
29 were removed to hospital. Six cases occurred in two families residing in the
same house.
The disease generally was of a mild type. There were no deaths and no
"return" cases.