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
Chelsea 1937
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1937
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No cases of Small-pox, Cholera,Typhus Fever, Poliomyelitis, Encephalitis
Lethargica, Polio-Encephalitis, Malaria, Continued Fever, Relapsing Fever,
Plague, Anthrax, Glanders or Hydrophobia were notified during the year.
DIPHTHERIA.
Notifications.—During the year 79 cases of diphtheria were notified,
as compared with 72 in the previous year. The incidence of the disease
during the past two years is shown in Table No. 41.
Deaths.—Two deaths from the disease occurred during the year.
Return Cases.—One "return" case of the disease occurred during
the year.
TABLE No. 41.
| Year | Cases Notified. | Percentage of Removals. | Deaths | Case Mortality Rate. | Percentage of cases of School age (3-13 years) | Month of greatest prevalence. | Bacterioscopic Diagnosis, Lister Institute. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Specimens submitted | Positive. | Percentage Positive. | Negative. | Percentage Negative. | |||||||
| 1936 | 72 | 93 | 1 | 1.5 | 68 | Jan. | 247 | 23 | 9 0 | 224 | 91.0 |
| 1937 | 79 | 100 | 2 | 2.7 | 63 | Oct. | 288 | 20 | 70 | 268 | 93.0 |
It will be observed that there was an increase in the number of
cases notified in 1937. The percentage of removals to the L.C.C.
Hospitals was high, and the case mortality rate was higher than that
for 1936.
Information was received from the L.C.C. that 6 of the cases sent
to Hospital in the course of the year proved not to be suffering from
diphtheria.
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION CLINIC.
In April, 1934, the Borough Council approved an annual grant of £50
for immunisation against diphtheria and Schick testing to be carried out
at the Violet Melchett Infant Welfare Centre for children under 5 years
of age on the register of the Centre.
Early in 1935, the Borough Council arranged to extend these facilities
to children of school age, the Borough Council contributing towards the
cost of this service.
A weekly clinic has been held during the year.
In co-operation with the London County Council, leaflets have been
prepared and distributed at the various schools in the Borough. Attendances
of elementary school children for immunisation against diphtheria
at the clinic are allowed to count as attendances at school.