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
Wood Green 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wood Green]
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another.it would seem highly proper that even the mild conditions
now known as puerperal pyrexia should continue to be brought to
our notice.
Smal1 pox
No case of smallpox occurred in Wood Green during 1954. Once
again, I was not even asked to see any doubtful rashes.
I am glad to be able to report that the number of mothers
seeking vaccination for their infants at Child Welfare Clinics
in Wood Green, shows a definite increase. I have communicated
with general practitioners, asking them to advocate vaccination
as strongly as possible because of the extremely low vaccination
state prevailing throughout the country.Wood Green practitioners
will shortly be supplied with an attractive display card urging
vaccination as well as immunisation.I have asked them to display
this card in their waiting rooms.and have little doubt that they
will co-operate.
Tuberculos is
Ninety four cases of tuberculosis (86 pulmonary 8 non pulm
onary) were notified during theyear as against 90 cases in 1953.
Of the 94 new cases. 13 were transferred from other districts,
81 being new notifications.
A broad classification of the new notifications during the past three years in relation to employment was:
| 1954 | 1953 | 1952 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clerical | 16 | 12 | 7 |
| Manual Labour | 14 | 23 | 7 |
| Housewives | 20 | 11 | 6 |
| Factory Workers | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| Children | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| professional classes | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Domestic Service | – | – | 1 |
| Nurses | – | – | 1 |
| Shop Assistants | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Armed Forces | – | – | 1 |
| Retired Persons | 2 | 3 | – |
| Unclassified | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| 81 | 71 | 40 |
The number of cases on the register at the end of the year
was as follows
Pulmonary 269 males
242 females
Total 511
Non pulmonary 11 males
35 females
Total 46
It will be seen that the number of cases of tuberculosis not
ified during the past three years has varied from 40 to 81.
These figures have at best a limited significance, in view of the
short period covered and the low totals involved. They are how
ever useful as a basis of comparison and will become more use
ful still as the years progress. I therefore propose to continue
this classification so that the Council may have a broad picture
of the various sections of the community in which tuberculosis
appears most likely to occur
It is also worthy of note that the incidence of tuberculosis
28