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
Finsbury 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finsbury Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
(22)
Smallpox and Vaccination: As from the Ist January, 1947 the Medical
Officer of Health was appointed Vaccination Officer, the clerical work
being undertaken by the Senior Clerical Assistant. These changes were
necessitated by the resignation of Mr. P.E.Capps, part-time Vaccination
Officer on the 31st December, 1946. Dr. R.Sacks resigned his appointment
as Public Vaccinator (No.2 District) and the resulting vacancy was filled
by Dr.E.F.Rossdale.
The following is a summary of proceedings under the Vaccination Acts, 1867 to 1898.
| Number of Finsbury birth notifications received from Registrar | 408 |
| Number of certificates of Primary Vaccination received | 180 |
| Postponements by medical certificate | 1 |
| Number of Finsbury babies not vaccinated within period of four months | 307 |
| Certificates of exemption granted after declaration There were no cases of Smallpox. | 69 |
Scarlet Fever: The number of cases of scarlet fever notified during 1947
was 83, of which 35 were removed to Hospital. There were no deaths from
this disease. Routine visits to patients following discharge were
continued.
Diphtheria: 6 cases of diphtheria were notified there being one death.
All the cases were removed to Hospital. Of these, none had been immunised.
The following table shows the cases notified during the last ten years
and the number of deaths.
Year
No.of cases
notified
No of
deaths
101
1938
3
1939
58
2
27
1940
2
1941
35
-
1942
19
1
1943
24
2
10
1944
-
13
1945
-
6
1946
-
1947
6
1
Efforts were continued during the year to secure a greater
degree of immunisation in the child population by means of further
propaganda and intensive visits by the Health Visitors and Sanitary
Inspectors. It was estimated that by the end of 1947, approximately 650
of the child population under five years of age had been immunised against
Diphtheria. The number of children of this age group immunised during
the year was 438.
Whooping Cough. Notifications of whooping cough numbered 110, and there
was 1 death. Prophylactic treatment has been continued in conjunction
with diphtheria prophylaxis.