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

Holborn 1964

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]

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Table: Bacteriological Examinations The Borough Council provides bacteriological confirmation of diagnosis free of charge in connection with certain diseases. This work is carried out by the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene, 23 Queen Square, W.C.1, and by the Public Health Laboratory Service at County Hall. During the year 49 specimens were submitted for examination with the following results:—

Bacteriological Examinations The Borough Council provides bacteriological confirmation of diagnosis free of charge in connection with certain diseases. This work is carried out by the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene, 23 Queen Square, W.C.1, and by the Public Health Laboratory Service at County Hall. During the year 49 specimens were submitted for examination with the following results:—

DiseasePositiveNegativeTotal
Diphtheria (Nasal and throat swabs)—66
Dysentery (Faecal swabs)—2121
Food Poisoning (Faecal swaps)—1616
Typhoid (Faecal swabs)—55
Other pathogenic organisms—11

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Infectious Disease Contacts
Where a person is precluded from continuing at work by reason of being a carrier
or having been in contact with infectious disease, benefits under the National Insurance
Act, 1946, are paid only on production of a certificate from the Medical Officer of Health.
One certificate was issued during the year to a person working in the catering industry,
who had been a contact of a typhoid carrier.
International Certificates of Vaccination
The International Sanitary Regulations adopted by the Fourth World Health
Assembly on 25th May, 1951, prescribe inter alia that International Certificates, to be
valid, must bear an approved stamp which certifies that the signature of the vaccinator
is that of a doctor.
During the year 713 certificates of persons travelling abroad were authenticated by
the Department. Of these 542 were in respect of smallpox, 127 for cholera, 36 for
typhoid, 8 for yellow fever.