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
Deptford 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford Borough]
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8
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
General
The total number of notifiable infectious diseases showed a decline of
761. This decline is more than accounted for by reason of Measles
notifications dropping from 1,036 to 38. Other infectious diseases, which
showed a marked decline, were Whooping Cough from 114-79 and
Pneumonia from 41 to 33. On the other hand there was an increase in
the number of notifications of Dysentery from 9 to 268 and Scarlet Fever
from 39 to 61.
Typhoid Fever. One case was notified and confirmed. Investigation failed
to discover the origin and all known contacts were found negative on
examination.
Sonne Dysentery. The outbreak of Sonne Dysentery started rather earlier
than is normal and the early incidence was probably due, in some measure
at least, to the abnormally cold climatic conditions which prevailed in the
opening months of the year.
Despite close co-operation with local medical practitioners and the
schools and school health service officers, notifications continued to be
reasonably heavy until the school holidays started in July. After the
school holidays only odd isolated cases were found although medical
practitioners continued wisely to draw the attention of the Public Health
Department to cases of intestinal disturbance in order that bacteriological
examination of faeces could be made.
During the year, 1972 bacteriological examinations in respect of 1,003
patients were made and tribute must be paid to the staff of the Public
Health Laboratory service for their excellent work and co-operation.
Infectious Diseases. Corrected Notifications.
| 0-1 years | 1-2 years | 2-5 years | 5-15 years | 15-25 years | 25-45 years | 45-65 years | over 65 years | Total | Deaths. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | F | M | m | M | F | M | M | M | F | M | M | M | F | M | F | |||
| Meningococcal Inf. | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Scarlet Fever | 2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 61 | ||||||||
| Erysipelas | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Acute Poliomyelitis | _ | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Dysentery | 7 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 33 | 24 | 46 | 73 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 26 | 8 | 10 | 268 | |||
| Acute Pneumonia | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 63* | |||||
| Measles | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 38 | |||||||||
| Whooping Cough | 6 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 79 | |||||||||
| Scabies | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |||||||||||
| Zymotic Enteritis | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Food Poisoning | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | |||||||||||
| OphthalmiaNeonatorium | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Typhoid Fever | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| TOTALS | 23 | 7 | 16 | 12 | 62 | 59 | 84 | 123 | 11 | 12 | 24 | 34 | 14 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 508 | 66 |
No cases of smallpox, anthrax, para-typhoid fever, diphtheria, or cerebro-spinal meningitis
were notified.
Includes all forms of pneumonia.