London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Lambeth 1950

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lambeth Borough]

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26
Water
Section 95, Public Health (London) Act, 1936
The number of new dwellings for which applications were received
for certificates that a proper and sufficient supply of water had been
installed was 649 (686).
•The water supply for the area is provided almost entirely by the
Metropolitan Water Board, but there are a few deep wells of which
some supply water for purposes other than human consumption,
while in a tew cases the supply is used for potable purposes both for
drinking on the premises as well as for the manufacture of beverages
and for similar trade purposes. In these latter cases a comprehensive
examination of the supply both bacteriological as well as
chemical is made every three months at least, which is deemed
sufficient for ample warning of any serious changes to be observed
before there is danger to health.
Prevalence and Control Over Infectious and
Other Diseases
The mortality from infectious disease was again almost negligible,
scarlet fever 0, diphtheria 0, measles 1, and whooping cough 5.
Poliomyelitis
Although 28 notifications were received there were only 24
confirmed cases of poliomyelitis, the rate per 1,000 population
being 0.10. Six of them were non-paralytic and only two died.
Puerperal Pyrexia
Of the 28 cases of puerperal pyrexia who could be followed up
all had attended an ante natal clinic except one who fell and had an
early abortion. Half were primiparae.
The causes of the pyrexia were inflammation of the breast 8, stillbirth
and abortion 4, adherent placenta 4, perineal damage 3,
prematurity or induction 3, Rhesus factor 2, worry about the home
2, no cause found 2.
Diphtheria
Although there were six cases of diphtheria notified not one of
these was confirmed. This is the first year since records were
kept that the district has been entirely free from diphtheria.