London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Paddington 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
This page requires JavaScript
1938. Measles. Reported Cases. 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. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borough | 126 | 160 | 163 | 252 | 175 | 85 | 29 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 1024 |
| Queen's Park | 11 | 28 | 17 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 4 | — | — | _ | 1 | 1 | 108 | |
| Harrow Road | 37 | 34 | 29 | 47 | 71 | 29 | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | 259 | |
| Maida Vale | 31 | 47 | 22 | 23 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | - | — | 1 | 143 |
| Town | 2 | 14 | 4 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 2 | — | - | 1 | _ | 67 |
| Church | 15 | 16 | 42 | 58 | 26 | 17 | ' 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 2 | _ | 181 |
| Westbourne | 24 | 10 | 38 | 66 | 39 | 15 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | -_ | _ | 205 |
| Lancaster Gate, West | 2 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 7 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 24 | |
| Lancaster Gate, East | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | -_ | - | 1 | — | — | - | - | 11 |
| Hyde Park | 2 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | - | 26 |
Eleven deaths from measles occurred during the year.
The Women Sanitary Inspectors visit cases of measles with few exceptions and arrange, where
necessary, for the attendance of the District Nurses.
The cases requiring nursing assistance during the year numbered 25 under 5 years of age and
13 over 5 years of age. The number of visits paid by the nurses was 288 and 143 to each group
respectively.
Seventy-four cases received treatment in hospital.
GERMAN MEASLES.
This disease is not notifiable in Paddington, but in the course of the year 201 cases came to the
knowledge of the Department through various sources of information.
Nineteen patients received treatment in hospital.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
This disease is notifiable in London under Section 192 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936,
the London County Council having by resolution made this section applicable to the disease.
Thirteen notifications relating to cases of purulent eye-discharge of the new-born were received
during 1938. All the patients recovered without any impairment of vision.
As soon as a case of this disease is notified, intensive efforts are made by the Council's Staff to
ensure that proper treatment is carried out. Daily visits are paid and private or charitable medical
treatment is invariably enforced. Where necessary the infant and its mother are removed to a
hospital, provision of this accommodation being ample. All necessary nursing attention is given
by home visiting on the part of the Paddington and St. Marylebone District Nursing Association.
In addition to true purulent discharge, 4 cases of slight discharge from the eyes of infants
reported by midwives to the London County Council were referred to this Department and received
attention, no doubt preventing the onset of the more severe form of the disease.
No case was referred to the District Nursing Association during the year.
Twelve cases of ophthalmia of the new-born were treated in hospitals as in-patients.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
There were 21 cases of puerperal fever notified during 1938, 20 of which were removed to or
nursed in a hospital. There is no difficulty in obtaining institutional treatment for women suffering
from this disease. Cases of puerperal fever referred to the London County Council are usually
sent to the North-Western Hospital, Hampstead, where a special ward is set aside for these cases
and special medical and nursing staffs are provided. Excellent accommodation is also available
at Queen Charlotte's Isolation Hospital, Hammersmith.
No death from the disease was recorded during the year.