London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bethnal Green 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
88
NON-NOTIFIABLE DISEASES.
Measles.
During the year 1,879 cases of Measles came to my knowledge from the following sources:—
| Schools | 1,129 |
| L.C.C. Ambulance Service | 459 |
| Other Hospitals | 10 |
| Medical Practitioners | 63 |
| Health Visitors | 150 |
| Sanitary Inspectors | 62 |
| Other | 6 |
All cases were visited, either by a Health Visitor
or the District Sanitary Inspector, according to the age
of the patient.
A special Measles Health Visitor was engaged for
the period 22nd January to 31st March.
529 patients were removed to L.C.C. Special
Hospitals, and in 26 cases nursing assistance was
provided by the Council, 394 nursing visits being paid
to them.
After various corrections of diagnosis and sifting of
" suspected " cases, there would appear to have been
a nett total of at least 1,771 actual cases.
Information as to cases not already known to them
is passed on to the L.C.C., to enable that authority to
check the spread of infection in the schools and similar
information is sent to Sunday Schools.
There were 34 deaths from measles during the year.
The scheme of co-operative action by the L.C.C.
and the Borough Council seems to have been of considerable
value in obtaining greater control over the
spread of the disease and in securing its prompter and
more effective treatment. The need for such measures
is shown by the high mortality of this serious disease
among young children.