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
Willesden 1919
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
This page requires JavaScript
39
Arrangements have been made with Drs. Thresh and Beale, of 91, Queen Victoria
Street, E.C. 4, for the examination of bacteriological specimens. Examinations, such as Wasserman
Reactions, are made at St. Mary's Hospital.
The following Tables, Nos. 26 and 27, show the extent to which the facilities have been made
use of:—
Table No. 26.
Table shewing Chemical and Bacteriological Examinations made during the year 1919.
| Nature of Specimens examined. | Positive Result. | Negative Result. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Swabs for Diphtheria Bacilli | 265 | 960 | 1,225 |
| 2. | Sputum for Tubercle Bacilli. | 36 | 122 | 158 |
| 3. | Blood for Widals Reaction | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 4. | Urine | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 5. | Cerebro-spinal Meningitis Fluid | — | 2 | 2 |
| 6. | Blood for cultivation | — | 1 | 1 |
| 7. | Swab from Cellulitis of Leg | 1 | — | 1 |
| 8. | Smears and Swabs for Gonococci | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| 9. | Pus from Pyaemic abscess-puerperal case | 1 | — | 1 |
| 10. | Swabs for Meningococci | — | 14 | 14 |
| 11. | Pleural Fluid | — | 1 | 1 |
| 12. | Spinal Fluid for Tubercular Meningitis | — | 2 | 2 |
| 13. | Swab taken from Vaginal Discharge | — | 1 | 1 |
| 14. | Serum for Pustule | — | 1 | 1 |
| 15. | Streptococci | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 16. | Staphylococcus | 1 | — | 1 |
| 17. | Wasserman Reaction | 4 | 1 | |
| 18. | Faecal specimen for Entamveba Histolytica | — | 1 | 1 |
| 19. | „ „ Dysentery bacilli | — | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 316 | 1,122 | 1,438 | |
Table No. 27.—Sources of Specimens Examined.
| From patients in Municipal Hospital | 648 |
| From private practitioners | 468 |
| From clinics and health visitors | 322 |
| Total | 1,438 |
Action to discover "Contacts."—In all instances of notifiable infectious diseases the health
of the other members of the family is enquired into, and if suspicious, they are referred to a doctor,
or a swab or blood or other specimen, as the case may require, is taken for examination.
Arrangements for isolation and disinfection.—
Isolation:—Isolation Wards are available at the Municipal Hospital. Beds are set aside
for Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever, and other infectious diseases are taken in, as and when accommodation
is available. In cases where removal to hospital is not desired, and isolation can be satisfactorily
carried out at home, this is permitted, the Health Visitors paying subsequent visits to ascertain that
isolation is being maintained; 65.5 per cent, of Scarlet Fever cases, 93.3 per cent, of Diphtheria
cases, 40.0 per cent, of Enteric Fever cases, and 66.7 percent, of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis cases
were isolated in the Municipal Hospital during 1919.
Disinfection is carried out by the Health Department. This process is not now regarded as
of first importance, it being recognised that infectious persons, and not rooms or articles, are the
agencies by which disease is spread.
During 1919, disinfection was carried out as a routine measure after Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria.
In the case of other diseases, special instructions were given by the Assistant Medical Officers
as to any disinfection necessary. Such instructions related to dealing with infectious discharges,
rather than to articles supposed to contain infection.