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
Islington 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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39
[1928
GLANDERS, ANTHRAX AND HYDROPHOBIA IN MAN.
Order under Section 55 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1921, by the
London County Council. (Came into operation on the
26th April, 1909.)
No cases were known in Islington during the year.
Acute Encephalitis Lethargica and Acute Polio-Encephalitis.
These diseases became notifiable under an Order of the Local Government
Board on the 1st January, 1919. During the year 5 cases of Acute Encephalitis
Lethargica were known, but only 3 were notified. They showed a decrease of 2
on the return of the previous year, whilst 3 deaths were registered; or 60 per cent.
of the notified cases.
The following summary shows the number of cases, and also the fatality
of recent years:—
Acute Encephalitis Lethargica.
| Years. | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | Average (9 years). | 1928 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases | 5 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 39 | 17 | 21 | 7 | 13 | 5 |
| Deaths | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Three cases of Acute Polioencephalitis were known in the Borough, and one
of these ended fatally.
Ophthalmia Neonatorium. Purulent Disease of the Eyes of Newly-born Children.
See p. 10.
BLIND PERSONS ACT, 1920.
SCHEME FOR THE WELFARE OF BLIND PERSONS IN THE CITY OF
LONDON, AS APPROVED BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.
This scheme is administered by the London County Council. As regards
children of school age, that is, up to five years, the London County Council,
through the several Metropolitan Boroughs, communicate with the Borough
Medical Officers of Health for the home visitation of such cases to be carried out
by the Municipal Heatlh Visitors. A watch is kept on the home conditions in
case these should be unsuitable for the blind child. It is recognised, except in
very exceptional circumstances, a blind child should not be removed from his or
her home. In the event, however, of this being necessary, some watch is required
as regards the arrangements which are proposed to be made with the consent of
the parents or guardians.
At present we know of two blind children in Islington, both girls, under five
years of age, one born in March, 1925, and the other in August, 1927, the latter
being a transferred case from another Borough. In both instances there have
been no calls for special report on the conditions.
TUBERCULOSIS.
694 cases of Tuberculosis in its different forms were notified during the year.
The attack rate was equal to 2.14 per 1,000 of the civil population. This number
was an increase of 54 on the return of the previous year, and of 0.23 per 1,000
on the attack-rate.