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
Camberwell 1947
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell annual (abridged) report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1947
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| Age at 31.12.47. | Under 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | Total under 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. immunised. | 40 | 1231 | 1334 | 1431 | 1219 | 8050 | 5599 | 18,904 |
| Estimated population mid-1947. | 15,380 | 20,890 | 36,270 | |||||
POLIOMYELITIS.
Camberwell suffered relatively slightly when one takes into
consideration the seasonal prevalence of this disease in summer and
autumn. Fifty-six notifications were received at the Public Health
Department during the year, but in 22 cases the patients were subsequently
considered not to be suffering from infantile paralysis.
There were three deaths.
It will be seen from the following table that the disease was not confined to any particular area of the Borough, and the cases were well distributed in relation to age groups.
| Ward. | 0- | 1- | 5- | 10- | 15- | 20- | 25- | 35- | 45- | 55- | 65- | Total all ages. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| 2 | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 3 | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 7 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 9 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 11 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 12 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 14 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| 15 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 16 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 17 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 18 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 7 |
| 19 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| 20 | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| Total | 1 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 34 |
It did not become necessary to put in hand any special measures
to control the spread of this disease, but as a precautionery measure
the Council decided to prohibit swimming galas in the Public Baths,
overcrowding of the swimming baths and to arrange for the disinfection
of towels after use in the swimming and warm baths.
There was no evidence of the disease being spread in Camberwell
by water from the swimming pools, the prevalence of flies or the
existence of insanitary conditions.