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
City of Westminster 1924
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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39
the substitution of motors for horses and of garages for stables with
their accumulation of manure.
Whooping Cough.—97 cases were recorded, 50 of these being in the last quarter of the year; 4 deaths resulted, 3 of children under 1 year of age, 1 between the age of 1 and 2.
| - | Under 1. | 1-5. | 5-15. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901- 5 | 4.40 | 2.06 | 0.02 |
| 1906-10 | 3.34 | 1.37 | 0.01 |
| 1911-15 | 4.14 | 1.08 | 0.01 |
| 1910-20 | 1.40 | 1.02 | 0.10 |
| 1921-24 | 1.38 | 0.71 | — |
The death-rate for 1921 at all ages was 0-02 for Westminster; 0.11 for
London ; and 0-10 for England and Wales.
Health Visitors paid 130 visits to cases of whooping cough and Nurses
attended to 3 children, paying 24 visits.
Cerebro-spinal Fever.—-Three cases occurred; there were no deaths.
Poliomyelitis.—-One case occurred and proved fatal; a female,
aged 71.
The attention of the Minister of Health has been directed to the lack
of facilities in London for dealing adequately with the after effects of this
disease in children and he has issued a circular to the Metropolitan
City and Borough Councils on the subject.
The Circular states, inter alia, that in view of the high proportion of
cases of poliomyelitis which occur below the age of 5 years, and bearing
in mind the good results of effective treatment and the serious consequences
of neglect, it is important to take such steps as may be possible to secure
orthopaedic treatment for these young children as part of the scheme for
Maternity and Child Welfare. In ordinary circumstances the number of
cases in any Metropolitan Borough is small, and would not justify the
Borough Council in making independent provision for a form of treatment
which is necessarily costly and elaborate. It is desirable, therefore, that
the Borough Council should consider, first, what can be done to promote
early diagnosis during the acute stage of the disease, and secondly, what
arrangements can be made in co-operation with other authorities to send
all children affected, whether the condition is slight or serious, to an
institution equipped to give such special treatment as may be required
to prevent avoidable muscular weakness or permanent deformity.
(3692)q
d 2