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 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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I8
With regard to the immunised children who contracted diphtheria, examination
of the records shows that in nearly all cases immunisation had been completed three,
four or five years previously, and a booster injection at about school entry age might
have diminished the subsequent risk still further.
The main conclusion to be drawn from this examination is that it would be very
premature at this stage to relax our efforts to attain maximum immunisation of
children in Islington, and parents who do-not have their children immunised early
in life take on a very serious responsibility.
No. OF ISLINGTON CHILDREN IMMUNISED AGAINST DIPHTHERIA 1937-1951.
| 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 281 | 1,078 | 525 | 89 | 3,261 | 5,734 | 6,321 | 3,165 | 3,688 | 3,425 | 4,563 | 5,387 | 3,185 | 2.604 | 3,073 |
Diphtheria Immunisation.
| Under 5 yrs. | 5—15 yrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated proportion of Children Immunised at 31.12.51 | 56% | 95% |
| Total Attendance at all Clinics | 12,047 | |
| Sessionsheld | 362 | |
| Average Attendance | 33 | |
| Number of Children who received Full Course of Immunising— Injections :— | ||
| Under 5 years | 2,723 | |
| 5—15 years | 350 | |
| Number of children who were Primary Schick Tested with negative result and therefore did not require immunisation | 48 | |
| Number of children re-tested with a negative result | 489 | |
| Number of children Post Schick Tested with a negative result | 1.809 | |
| Boosting Injections | 839 | |
Food Poisoning.
148 cases of food poisoning were notified during the year. The great increase
each year in the notifications of food poisoning is shown by the following figures:—
| 1947 | 7 |
| 1948 | |
| 1949 | 55 |
| 1950 | 104 |
| 1951 | 148 |
How far this represents a true increase in the amount of food poisoning it is
difficult to say, since there is no doubt there is a greater awareness of the possibility
of food poisoning both by the public and medical practitioners. As far as is known,
none of the notified cases in 1951 suffered from the illness in a dangerous form. In
spite of the great increase in the number of notifications it is still probable, however,
that there is much mild food poisoning which is not reported because the symptoms
do not warrant the patient's attendance for medical advice,