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 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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1930] 14
Cases of
| Tufnell. | Upper Hollo way. | Toll-ington. | Lower Hollo-way, | Highbury. | Barns-bury. | South-East. | The Borough | |
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As occasion arose, the services of the Pathological Department of the London
County Council Special Hospitals Section were utilised in regard to the examination
of swabs taken from attendants on Puerperal Pyrexia and Puerperal Fever
cases, and negative results were found in throat swabs in two instances, one from
the Certified Midwife in the case (for whom your Medical Officer of Health made
spccial arrangements with the hospital to secure the swab), and the other from the
handywoman connected with the case.
During an outbreak of puerperal illnesses in an Islington Nursing Home
bacteriological reports were received fom the Home stating that swabs were taken
from five of the attendants, and one showed Haemolytic Streptococci and Streptococci
Veridans (which were also revealed in a swab taken later on), while in the
other four no Haemolytic Streptococci were isolated but in each case Streptococci
Veridans were found.
Patients from this particular Nursing Home had been sent for isolation and
from the hospitals concerned information was obtained.
Case (a) Revealed a pure culture of haemolytic streptococcus obtained from
the cervix, but the blood culture was sterile.
Case (b) A cervical swab yielded a pure culture of haemolytic streptococci.
The blood culture was sterile.
Case (c) Cervical swab without result, but sputum yielded an abundant growth
of haemolytic streptococci.
Case (d) Cervical swab, haemolytic streptococci. Blood culture, no result.
A further cervical swab yielded Aerobic-Diphtheroids and
Anaerobic-Diphtheroids.
Results of these investigations were obtained as the particular Nursing Home
was in this Borough, but some of the patients were not Islington residents.
SPECIALIST CONSULTATIONS.
Two applications for the assistance of the Consultant in diagnosis were
received by the Medical Officer of Health. In each instance the patient was
subsequently removed to hospital.
PEMPHIGUS NEONATORUM.
During the year 1930, 7 cases which came to the knowledge of the Medical
Officer of Health were investigated.