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
Paddington 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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16
Seasonal Prevalence.—The following table shows the number of cases notified in each four-weekly
period during 1933:—
Four-Weekly Periods.
| Period No. 1. | Period No. 2. | Period No. 3. | Period No. 4. | Period No. 5. | Period No. 6. | Period No. 7. | Period No. 8. | Period No. 9. | Period No. 10. | Period No. 11. | Period No. 12. | Period No. 13. | Totals. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| _ | _ | |||||||||||||
| _ | ||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | _ | |||||||||
| _ | _ | _ | _ | — | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | |||||
| _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | |||||||||
| — | — | — |
Diphtheria Carriers.—There is a clinic for diphtheria carriers held at St. Mary's Hospital, to
which 9 cases were referred by the Public Health Department during the past year.
Anti-Diphtheritic Serum.—This is stocked at the Town Hall and supplied to medical practitioners
on request for the use of patients who are too poor to obtain such serum privately. During the year
21 phials of 4,000 units and 8 phials of 500 units were distributed.
Diphtheria Immunisation .—In June, 1933, a clinic for the immunisation of children against
diphtheria was inaugurated at the Welfare Centre, 232, Harrow Road, Dr. R. Cove-Smith being
appointed Medical Officer. At first one session weekly was held, but the increasing numbers of children
presenting themselves for treatment, following the distribution of leaflets at the various schools in the
Borough, necessitated the provision of additional facilities, and a second session weekly was accordingly
started in December.
The following figures show the extent of the work carried out during the part of the year the
arrangements were in operation. Owing to the shortness of the period to which they relate, it has
been deemed advisable to submit them without comment.
Preliminary Tests 169
Results:—
Positive 58
Negative 83
Pseudo-positive 5
Pseudo-negative 16
Unknown 7
Inoculations given 155
Re-Tests 43
Results:—
Positive 8
Negative 28
Unknown 7
By the end of the year 34 persons (33 under 15 and 1 over 15 years of age) had been fully inoculated,
i.e., protected against attacks of diphtheria. In 18 further cases treatment was still being given.
In addition to the immunisation carried out at 232, Harrow Road, 20 children were tested at
the Orphanage of Mercy by the Medical Officer of that institution. Positive results were obtained
in 15 cases, and the children subsequently rendered immune by inoculation.
SMALLPOX.
One case of this disease was notified during the year. It was contracted by the patient through
contact with another worker at the same place of employment.
A number of persons who had been exposed to risk of infection from cases occurring outside the
Borough were kept under observation until all danger of their developing the disease was over.
During the year all vaccinations of smallpox contacts were performed by the Public Vaccinator.
None were performed by the Medical Officer of Health under the Public Health (Smallpox Prevention)
Regulations, 1917.