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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 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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13
SECTION B.
PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES.
Notifiable Infectious Diseases and Deaths during the year 1953.
| Disease | Number of Notifications | Number of Deaths | Removed to Hospital | Number of Cases returned to Registrar-General after correction of Diagnosis | Cases "coming to knowledge" but not Notified | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallpox | - | (-) | - | - | - | - |
| Scarlet Fever | 250 | (474) | — | 70 | 244 | 13 |
| Diphtheria | 12 | (23) | — | 12 | 1 | — |
| Enteric Fever (including Paratyphoid) | 1 | (2) | 1 | - | - | |
| Typhus Fever | — | (-) | — | — | — | — |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 192 | (385) | — | 173 | 189 | 17 |
| Ac. Primary & Influenzal Pneumonia | 322 | (246) | 7 | 4 | 330 | - |
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum | 27 | (26) | — | 19 | 26 | — |
| Acute Encephalitis | 1 | (1) | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Meningococcal Infection | 8 | (10) | 3 | 8 | 3 | 6 |
| Anthrax | — | (—) | — | — | — | — |
| Dysentery | 372 | (216) | — | 103 | 344 | 34 |
| Malaria | 5 | (1) | — | 2 | 5 | — |
| Erysipelas | 48 | (33) | 1 | 10 | 48 | 3 |
| Measles | 2,541 | (2,885) | — | 130 | 2,642 | 50 |
| Whooping Cough | 1,188 | (504) | 2 | 154 | 1,169 | 26 |
| Ac. Poliomyelitis | 34 | (20) | 3 | 34 | 16 | 2 |
| Ac. Polioencephalitis | — | (-) | — | — | — | — |
| Food Poisoning | 243 | (62) | — | 10 | 239 | 10 |
| Tuberculosis—Lung | 450 | (433) | 28 | —, | — | — |
| Tuberculosis—Other Forms | 35 | (55) | 9 | — | — | — |
| Scabies | 25 | (31) | — | — | 25 | - |
(Figures in brackets are notifications for 1952.)
Investigations made in respect of Infectious Diseases cases, contacts, etc., by the Sanitary Inspectors and Home Visitors during the year as under:—
| Smallpox | 16 | Erysipelas | 46 |
| Scarlet Fever | 267 | Measles | 2,612 |
| Diphtheria | 18 | Whooping Cough | 1,163 |
| Enteric Fever (including Paratyphoid) | 6 | Acute Poliomyelitis & Polioencephalitis | 63 |
| Typhus | — | Food Poisoning | 98 |
| Meningococcal Infection | 23 | Scabies | 76 |
| Dysentery | 400 | Vermin | 422 |
| Malaria | 1 | Enteritis | — |
| Pneumonia | — | Ineffective Visits | 946 |
| Total 6,157 | |||
Smallpox.
No cases of smallpox were recorded, but visits were paid to ten smallpox
contacts who landed at Southampton from a ship in which a case had occurred and
were now living at an address in this Borough. On investigation they were found
to be in good health, but precautionary action was taken in notifying Medical Officers
of districts subsequently visited by members of this family.
In three other cases visits were paid by the Medical Officer of Health to suspect
cases on requests by general practitioners. These cases were not confirmed, but
such measures constitute part of the precautions which have to be taken when the