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 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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information regarding other passengers who had visited the City and
spent some part of their time in shops, restaurants, places of interest, etc.
Fortunately none of the passengers who became resident in the City
contracted the disease, but, although in 5 instances smallpox developed
in passengers from the ship who had visited the City, no incidence of
smallpox arose among the persons with whom they had been in contact
in Westminster.
Poliomyelitis.
During the year the City experienced in common with the rest of the
country an epidemic of poliomyelitis which, if fortunately not so severe
as that of 1947, resulted in some 28 confirmed cases of the disease. The
epidemic occurred between the months of June and October and reached
its peak period during August and September. The major proportion of
the confirmed cases in the City occurred in children under 5 years of age,
one of whom died in hospital, the only other death from the disease being
that of a man aged 34 years.
In all these cases the usual routine of inspection and disinfection was
carried out and any possible sources of infection investigated by the
sanitary inspectors. Contacts were also instructed upon the advisability
of seeking early medical advice should they become unwell.
Certain precautionary measures were at the instance of the Medical
Officer of Health brought into operation at the Council's Public Baths
during the period of the incidence of the disease.
| June | 1 | 23 years. |
| August | 8 | One 3 months, three 1—2 years, three 4—5 years, one7½ years. |
| September | 10 | One 11 months, four 1—2 years, two 3 years and 12 years, one 19 years, one 26 years, one 29 years. |
| October | 10 | Three 1—2 years, three 5—6 years, one 22 years, one 23 years, one 29 and 34 years. |
International Certificates of Vaccination and Inoculation.
Arrangements continued during the year for the authentication by the
Medical Officer of Health of International Certificates of Vaccination
and Inoculation completed by medical practitioners in Westminster.
These certificates are required by passengers proceeding abroad from this
country and the purpose of the authentication is to provide proof to those
health authorities abroad who desire it that the signature of the person
issuing the certificate is that of a registered medical practitioner. Some
1,282 certificates were authenticated during the year.