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
Poplar 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
-13-
The numbers in brackets are the numbers treated in hospital during the year.
| 1946. | |
| Notes: a. Cause of death:Obstruction of bronchus. Lymphosarcoma. P.M. | |
| b. Not notified-reported by Coroner after p.m. | |
| c. Notified cases only. | |
| d. Chronic case. Cause of death: Postencephalitic Parkinsonism. | |
| ACUTE POLIOMYELITIS. The Borough escaped relatively lightly during the epidemic of Acute Poliomyelitis which reached its peak in August. | |
| 18 cases were notified, but in only 9 cases was the diagnosis confirmed. | Nil. |
| One patient died, the cause being certified as "Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis. Uraemia. Chronic nephritis" and the death has been assigned to Chronic Nephritis by the Registrar-General. | Nil. |
| As a precautionary measure swimming galas arranged for 11th, 23rd, and 26th September were cancelled. | |
| SMALLPOX. On 11th March information was received from the Medical Officer of Health, Stepney, that a case of Smallpox had been removed from Mile End Hospital on 9th March. The patient had been employed at the Empire Memorial Sailors' Hostel, Commercial Road, E. He was taken ill on the 3rd March, removed to Mile End Hospital on 5th March. A diagnosis of Smallpox was made on 9th March and the patient was transferred to a special hospital. | |
| Between 30 and 40 contacts were followed up in this Borough. These contacts included (a) Staff and visitors to the Hostel; (b) patients from and visitors to Mile End Hospital; and (c) persons who had travelled in the ambulance which removed the patient to Mile End Hospital. Particular attention was paid to inmates of Lodging Houses. | |
| A letter was sent to all doctors practising in the Borough calling their attention to the case and requesting their co-operation in dealing with suspected cases. | |
| The Sanitary Inspectors, Health Visitors, Disinfecting Staff and some of the Office Staff were revaccinated as a precautionary measure. | |
| Except for a second case in the affected ward at Mile End Hospital on 21st March no further cases occurred. | |
| DIPHTHERIA PROPHYLAXIS. The immunisation clinics at the Council's Tuberculosis Dispensary and the Maternity and Child Welfare Centre at 54, West Ferry Road, and the Infant Consultation Clinics held by the Royal College of St. Katharine functioned throughout the year, as also did the arrangements with local practitioners. |
Summary of immunisations:-
| a. at Borough Council and Royal College of St. Katharine Clinics | 1,318 | 1,118 |
| b. at London County Council centres | 279 | 346 |
| c. by Private practitioners | 90 | 72 |
| 1,7687 | 1,536 |