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
Kensington 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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The first patients reported with paratyphoid fever in 1960
were two young women aged 23 and 24 who were admitted to hospital
from the same address. In common with another woman and her husband,
they used the same crockery and toilet facilities. Tests of the
specimens submitted by the other woman and her husband proved negative.
One of the patients had lived for a time in Spain and had returned to
this country six months before the onset of her illness. It is
probable that she became a "carrier" in Spain and had transmitted the
disease to the other girl.
The third patient with paratyphoid fever was a 1½-year old
boy whose illness came to light through examination of a stool
specimen taken after his brothers had been reported to be suffering
from dysentery. His immediate removal to hospital was arranged, and
more specimens were taken from his brothers and other home contacts.
These were found to be negative. The child recovered in hospital,
but the exact source of hi3 illness remained undiscovered.
The fourth case of paratyphoid fever was a 33-year old
labourer who had been engaged on sew.er repair work in another borough the Medical Officer of Health of this borough was informed. No
details of the foods eaten by the patient were available. The home
contacts submitted negative specimens and the man recovered in
hospital.
Puerperal Pyrexia
During 1960, the number of cases of this disease notified
was 138, of whom 104 were persons normally resident outside Kensington.
All but one of these cases occurred in hospital.
In order to show some perspective in reviewing the incidence of puerperal pyrexia (defined as any febrile condition occurring in a woman in whom a temperature of 100.4°F. or more has occurred within fourteen days after childbirth or miscarriage), the following table gives an analysis of the causes of pyrexia in the notified cases:-
| Cause | No. of cases | |
|---|---|---|
| Breast infections | 18 | |
| Respiratory infections:- | ||
| Upper | 1 | 7 |
| Lower | 6 | |
| Urinary infection | 23 | |
| Pyrexia associated with abnormal delivery:- | ||
| (a) Retained products | 2 | 11 |
| (b) A.R.M. or Forceps | 3 | |
| (c) Caesarian section | 6 | |
| Genital tract infections | 9 | |
| Thrombophlebitis | 1 | |
| Allergic reaction | 1 | |
| Causes unknown after investigation | 68 | |
| Total | 138 | |
In addition to the above, information was received concerning 44 patients normally resident in Kensington, who were notified as
suffering from puerperal pyrexia in other London districts.
No death occurred under this heading.
Pneumonia
There are various forms of pneumonia, but the only types
notifiable are (i) acute primary and (ii) acute influenzal pneumonia.
During the year 16 notifications were received, 14 being acute