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
Carshalton 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Carshalton]
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TABLE 17.
DIPHTHERIA—WARD INCIDENCE AND MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION, 1946. (Excluding hospital patients non-resident in Carshalton.)
| 1946. | Ward. | Total. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Helier North. | St. Helier South. | St. Helier West. | NorthEast. | NorthWest. | Central. | SouthEast. | SouthWest. | ||
| January | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| February | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| March | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| April | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| May | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tune | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — . | 1 |
| July | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 2 |
| August | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| September | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| October | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| November | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| December | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | 4 |
| Monthly Mean | — | — | — | 0.25 | — | — | 0.08 | — | 0.33 |
| Case rate per 1,000 population | — | — | — | 0.32 | — | — | 0.13 | — | 0.06 |
Five "carriers" of diphtheria infection came to notice, 4 of whom
were inmates of Queen Mary's Hospital and 1 a local resident.
The number of swabs examined for diphtheria under the Council's
arrangements was 112, of which 2 were positive.
Diphtheria Immunisation—Circular 194/45.
By Circular 194, issued in November, 1945, the Minister transferred
the responsibility for the immunisation of children under 5 years of age
to the Welfare Authorities. The main reason for this action was the
fact that the Health Visitors were the most convenient and useful agents
for securing the treatment of pre-school children. Where the Sanitary
Authority and the Welfare Authority were one and the same, as in this
district, there was no essential change in the administrative arrangements.
One seriously doubts the wisdom of the ministerial direction
where the two authorities are not the same. Experience of this scheme
since 1934 in this district demonstrates the necessity for some local
medical officer to direct the ceaseless campaign in all its aspects for
treatment of children of all ages. Success rests mainly on the individual
enthusiasm and responsibility of such an officer and to divide the
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