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
Wandsworth 1891
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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| LINCOLN | Measles added when Act adopted, January, 1890. | No. | Raised the expenses under the Act two-thirds; 400 cases last year, one death—possibly publicity given as to penalties may have caused parents to have more care in exposing children. |
| MALVERN | On general grounds. | None at present. Hospital for infectious cases proposed. | No epidemic since introduction of notification. No experience of its working. |
| MANSFIELD | Proposed by members of the Commissioners and carried against opinion of Medical Officers. | Yes, a small cottage for scarlet fever. | Useful in one respect. On visiting supposed cases of measles Medical Officer found them to be scarlet fever. In case of epidemic it would be useful. Commissioners grumble at cost. |
| MEXBOROUGH | Strong personal recommendation of Medical Officer on general grounds and in consequence of a fatal epidemic. | No. | Expect much benefit, but as yet had little experience. |
| PONTEFRACT | Both grounds. Reliable data found necessary before closing schools. Cases of scarlet fever not reported on ground that parents thought it measles. | No, do not advocate strict isolation in measles. | If people think Act won't be enforced they will not report measles. If adopted handbills must be sent to each house. |
| RICHMOND (Yorks). | Recommendation of Medical Officer | None at present, in contemplation. | Satisfactory. |
| ST. NEOT'S | On general grounds. | No. | Great service in obtaining earliest information and closing schools. |
| SHERBORNE | On general grounds. | Not for town generally. Infectious ward in sanatorium belonging to King's School, & infectious wards belonging to Union House. | Afforded opportunity of repressing spread of epidemic through the public schools. |
| STAMFORD | Advice of Medical Officer. | Yes. The Stamford Infirmary infectious wards are open to the district on payment. | Able to check infection by keeping children from infected houses from attending school. |
| UPPINGHAM | On general grounds. | No. | Useless without means of isolation. |
| WELLS (Somerset) | On general grounds. | A small hospital with two wards, capable of admitting 8 patients. | Notification not of much benefit (if any). |
| WIDNES | In consequence of an epidemic in the Spring of 1890. | Yes. Infectious Diseases Hospital. | The epidemic declined. |