London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Kensington 1932

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

54
The borough council undertake to supply toxoid-antitoxin for the Schick test and immunisation
to any medical practitioner in the borough who may be co-operating with the medical
officer of health in an attempt to limit the spread of diphtheria in any institution, provided that
the consent of the authorities of the institution and of the parents or guardians of the children
concerned be obtained.
The cost to the council of toxoid-antitoxin supplied during 1932 was £3 9s. 9d.
At the time of writing, consultations are taking place with medical practitioners in the borough
with a view to ascertaining whether it is possible to introduce a scheme whereby medical practitioners
immunise poor patients in their homes or in surgeries in return for a fee paid by the
council in respect of each patient immunised; and the borough council have provided in their
estimates for the year 1933-34 a sum of £250 to meet the cost in the event of such a scheme
materialising.
Enteric Fever.—Fourteen cases of this disease were notified; eight were removed to hospital
and two to nursing homes. The cases notified in the three preceding years were 16, 32 and 17.
There was one death from this disease as against one, one and none in the preceding years. One patient
notified as suffering from enteric fever was afterwards found not to have contracted the disease.
Five were notified from the southern division of the borough and nine came from North Kensington.
In six cases there was evidence that the disease had been contracted abroad; two patients
had paid visits to the country a short time before the date of attack ; one contracted the
disease from his brother ; but the remaining five had not been out of London for some time prior
to their illness.
Erysipelas.—Eighty-one cases were notified during the year, 55 of which were removed to
hospital. There were seven deaths from this cause, the deaths in the three preceding years being
three, four and two.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—The following table gives particulars of ophthalmia cases notified
in 1932 and the results of treatment.

Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—The following table gives particulars of ophthalmia cases notified in 1932 and the results of treatment.

Case No.Cases.Vision unimpaired.Vision impaired.Total blindness.Death.
Notified.Treated.
At home.In hospital.
1January 4-YesYes---
2,, 8YesYes-
3„ 30-Yes---Yes, from another cause
4March 7-YesYes-
5April 16-YesYes-
6,, 25YesYes
7May 6YesYes_
8June 8YesYes
9July 4YesYes
10August 6-YesYes, from another cause
11October 7YesYes-
12Nov. 1YesYes--
13Dec. 5YesYes-
14,, 19YesYes-
15,, 20YesYes-
16,, 30-Yes?Still attending hospital.

From the above table, it will be seen that 13 cases recovered without any injury to
sight; two cases died from another disease ; and one case is still attending hospital.
Puerperal Fever.—During the year, eight cases of this disease were notified. Three were
treated at home and recovered ; one was confined in Queen Charlotte's Hospital and died; one
was confined in St. Charles Hospital and recovered ; two were removed to that institution and
recovered ; and one was a case removed to that hospital with pleurisy and pneumonia, a miscarriage
followed and the patient died.
There were four deaths attributed to this disease, but in only two instances had a notification
been received.