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
East Ham 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
This page requires JavaScript
43
those cases when necessary, for cases referred by
the Medical Officer of Health, and/or the School
Medical Officer.
(ii) The application of X-rays in cases of Ringworm of
the Scalp).
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Smallpox.
Seventy cases were notified during the year as against 25
cases during 1929. The disease remained the mild type as in
previous years, so mild that in many cases it was difficult to make
a diagnosis. No case occurred in a person who had been vaccinated
within 10 years. There were no deaths. If a school
child had been in contact with a case the parents of the children
attending the same school were notified and vaccination advised
with very satisfactory results. No primary or re-vaccinations
were performed by the Medical Officer of Health, but were
referred to the Public Vaccinator.
The following information relative to the cost of institutional treatment of small-pox cases for the financial year ending 31st March, 1931, is interesting.
| £ | s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of treatment | ,557 | 8 | 7 |
| Ambulance charges | 271 | 6 | 1 |
| £1,828 | 14 | 8 | |
| Number of patients treated | 93 | ||
| Number of days' maintenance | 1,817 | ||
| s. | d. | ||
| Cost per patient for treatment | 16 | 14 | 11 |
| Cost per patient for ambulance | 2 | 18 | 4 |
| Cost per patient for treatment and ambulance | 19 | 13 | 3 |
| Cost per patient per day for treat ment (ambulance included) | 1 | 0 | 1½ |
| Note.—Standing charges are not included in the above. | |||