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 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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antibodies, together with the appearance of Vi antibodies, confirmed the diagnosis beyond
dispute. This was in spite of the source of infection remaining undiscovered and the fact
that all bacteriological tests were negative.
(b) This case of Salmonella paratyphi 'B' - phage type " Battersea" was in respect of a
three years old female child and was discovered after the examination of a precautionary
faecal specimen submitted at the request of a general practitioner. The patient was treated
at home.
Subsequently it was ascertained, in consequence of information received from the Public
Health Laboratory, County Hall, S.E.1., that the patient kept two terrapins (a type of tiny
tropical turtle) as pets.Specimens of their faeces and of water from the tank were examined
and Salmonella paratyphi 'B' was isolated. It is of Interest to note that similar cases in
London and other parts of the country received publicity in a National newspaper.
In both (a) and (b) bacteriological examination of all contacts proved negative; the
respective medical practitioners being kept informed.
The other references were for 12 contacts of typhoid fever all with satisfactory
conclusions.
DYSENTERY
There were four hundred and seventy-five cases notified and 'coming to knowledge' during
the year. Of theae, four hundred and twelve proved positive, whilst sixty-three were clinical
cases with negative stools. Roughly three-quarters of the positive cases occurred in the
latter part of the year. Two schools were mainly affected with subsequent spread to family
groups and some other adjacent schools.
| 0- | 1- | 2- | 5- | 10- | 15- | 20- | 25- | 35- | 45- | 55- | 65- | 75- | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | ||||||||||||||
| — | ||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
| — |
The notification rate of all forms of tuberculosis was 0.60 per 1,000 population as
against 0.27 for the whole country.
| Males | Females | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
There were 25 tuberculosis deaths (21 pulmonary and 4 non-pulmonary) during 1968. The
death rate of all forms of tuberculosis was 0.1 per 1,000 of the population, as against the
national rate of 0.04.
ISLINGTON CHEST AND TUBERCULOSIS CARE COMMITTEE
Patients transferred from the Finsbury and Hornsey districts settled in well and the
Finsbury Tuberculosis Care Committee amalgamated with the Islington Chest and Tuberculosis
Care Committee.
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