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 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Carshalton]
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The following table shows the estimated percentage of children immunised at each year end since 1935, when the Council's scheme was inaugurated and the incidence of diphtheria in the resident population.
| Year | Percentage of Children Immunised | Incidence of Diphtheria | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-5 Years | 5-15 Years | 0-15 Years | Cases | Attack Rate Per 1,000 Population | |
| 1935 | – | – | 7 | 58 | 1.13 |
| 1936 | – | – | 10 | 53 | 0.95 |
| 1937 | – | – | 15 | 47 | 0.80 |
| 1938 | – | – | 18 | 33 | 0.57 |
| 1939 | – | – | 19 | 14 | 0.23 |
| 1940 | – | – | 21 | 45 | 0.77 |
| 1941 | – | – | 49 | 26 | 0.45 |
| 1942 | 40 | 84 | 71 | 23 | 0.40 |
| 1943 | 57 | 78 | 72 | 7 | 0.12 |
| 1944 | 54 | 83 | 75 | 7 | 0.12 |
| 1945 | 58 | 75 | 70 | 15 | 0.27 |
| 1946 | 64 | 81 | 76 | 4 | 0.06 |
| 1947 | 63 | 84 | 78 | 2 | 0.03 |
| 1948 | 67 | 92 | 81 | 1 | 0.01 |
| 1949 | 60 | 91 | 81 | 1 | 0.01 |
| 1950 | 63 | 98 | 85 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1951 | 57 | 97 | 84 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1952 | 54 | 99 | 84 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1953 | 52 | 85(70*) | 75(64*) | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1954 | 53 | 85(66*) | 75(62*) | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1955 | 52 | 84(66*) | 74(62*) | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1956 | 57 | 84(66*) | 76(64*) | 0 | 0.00 |
(* Immunised within the last 5 years)
Erysipelas
Only two cases of erysipelas were notified, one an infection of the face
the other of the leg. Both recovered. This is the lowest recorded annual
incidence in the district.
Pneumonia
Of 41 cases notified 10 were stated to be of influenzal origin, a reflection
of the fact that no serious influenza epidemics occurred during the year.
Three-quarters of the total cases occurred in the first three months of the
year.
Measles
The year 1955 had the highest recorded incidence of measles since
notification began in 1939. True to the epidemiological pattern of this
infection in the London area, this was followed in 1956 by a year of relatively
low prevalence. A total of 326 cases was notified compared with
1,130 in the year before. As is usual when incidence is low, there was no
marked wave, cases being spread irregularly over the whole twelve months.
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