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 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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32
1931]
that district is communicated with. The result of this procedure is to avoid as far
as possible loss of employment amongst presumed Smallpox contacts, and to
enahle the stair of the Public Health Department, apart from special and
exceptional cases, to limit their duties to the usual office hours.
Staee of Vacciration of persons notified to be suffering from Smallpox during the year 1931.
| Age | Unvaccinated | Vaccinated in Infancy |
|---|---|---|
| 0 - 5 yrs. | — | |
| 5 -10 yrs. | 18* | — |
| 10-15 yrs. | 16 | — |
| 15-20 yrs. | 10 | 1* |
| 20-30 yrs. | 9 | 1 |
| 30-40 yrs. | 5 | 1 |
| 40-50 yrs. | 1 | 1 |
| 50-60 yrs. | — | 2 |
| Totals 60 | 6 | |
| * 1 unvaccinated and 1 vaccinated in infancy patient, returned "not Small-pox," | ||
Months during which the above cases were notified.
| 1931 | ||
|---|---|---|
| January | 4 | cases |
| March | 1 | case |
| May | 1 | case |
| June | 4 | cases |
| July | 1 | case |
| August | 1 | case |
| October | 18 | cases |
| November | *20 | cases |
| December | *16 | cases |
| Total 66* cases | ||
| * Two of above returned "not Small-pox" | ||
Diphtheria was responsible for 710 cases of illness, which were 264 below
the average (974) of the preceding ten years. The attack rate was equal to 2.19)
per 1,000 of the civil poDulation annually, and was 0.74 above the mean rate (2.93)
of the decennial period. In London the attack-rate was 1.94 per 1,000.
DIPHTHERIA ANTI-TOXIN; IMMUNISATION.
Under the Special Order of 15th August, 1910, the then Local Government
Board sanctioned the provision by the Sanitary Authority, in pursuance of
section 77 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, of a temporary supply of
Diphtheria Anti-toxin "for the poorer inhabitants of the district, subject to the
following conditions, that is to say, the arrangements with respect to the keeping,
distribution and use of the Diphtheria Anti-toxin shall be made in accordance with
the advice of the Medical Officer of Health."
The section of the Public Health Act referred to is that which enables the
authority with the sanction of the Local Government Board to provide a temporary
supply of medicine, etc., for the poorer inhabitants of their district. (See also
page 37.
Applications in respect of 4 children were received for Diphtheria immunisation
(Schick Test) during the year.