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6
Infectious Diseases.
The incidence of infectious disease was even lower in 1940
than in 1939. As shown in the table below, there were only 968
cases notified, about one-third of the average number during the
past five years:—
Diphtheria 41 (252)
Erysipelas 52 (59)
Scarlet fever 75 (300)
Enteric fever 3 (7)
Puerperal fever 8 (5)
Puerperal pyrexia 9 (18)
Meningococcal meningitis 29 (5)
Ophthalmia neonatorum 20 (23)
Polio-myelitis, etc. 1 (5)
Malaria — (1)
Dysentery — (7)
Pneumonia (acute
primary) 172 (206)
Pneumonia (acute
influenzal) 39 (44)
Whooping cough 62 (607
Measles 280 (1042)
Tuberculosis (all forms) 177 (219)
968 (2800)
for the purposes of comparison, the average number of cases
notified in the five years, 1935-1939, is inserted in brackets.
Schick Clinic.—The diphtheria immunisation clinic was continued
throughout the year, and attended by 247 patients (194
new). Five were found to be immune on primary test, and 104
on test after inoculation.
Tuberculosis.—Beside 177 cases notified, there were otherwise
reported 25, making a total of 202 new cases.
The dispensary was carried on throughout the year as in
normal times, but it is impossible to give the usual detailed figures
of the work owing to the destruction of the dispensary and the
current records by enemy action in November, 1940.
Deaths from tuberculosis numbered 119, of which 10 were of
the non-pulmonary form. The death-rate was 1.10 per 1,000 of
the population, as compared with an average of 0.85 during the
5 years 1935-39.
Extra nourishment was provided during the financial year
ended 31st March, 1941, for 63 necessitous dispensary patients at
a cost of approximately ,£234.
Cancer.—212 deaths of Battersea residents were recorded,
being at the rate of 2.51 per 1,000 population, the average rate
for the preceding 5 years being 1.84 per 1,000.
Sanitary Circumstances.
The Inspectorial staff were to a large extent engaged on
special duties in relation to bombed dwellings, displaced tenants,
air-raid shelters, etc. The number of dwelling houses inspected
therefore shows an increase on previous years, but in general the
usual work of the department in relation to sanitation shows a
marked decrease, as evidenced by the following table.
Complaints received 3,357
House inspections 40, 988
Shop Act inspections 25
Factory, etc., inspections 1,343
Gipsy van inspections 38
Drains—
Smoke tests 77
Water tests 423
Relaid 38
Repaired 249
Plans received 70
Water supply—
New houses certified 135
Additional to tenement
houses 4
Water closets provided, etc. 18
Smoke observations 28
Notices served—
Intimation 2,113
Statutory—
Sections 197 and 220 551
Fifth schedule, etc. 1,130