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 1961
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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17
INFECTIVE DISEASES
Poliomyelitis
Thirty-three cases of this disease were reported and investigated
during the year, compared with 71 in the previous year.
In 30 cases the diagnosis was not confirmed. Of the remaining
three confirmed cases, two were of the paralytic type and one nonparalytic.
One death occurred.
The figures of poliomyelitis from 1947 to 1961, the period during which the incidence of the disease in this country has been high, is shown in the following table:
| 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of cases reported as suspected poliomyelitis and investigated | 119 | 31 | 89 | 71 | 29 | 73 | 73 | 41 | 104 | 85 | 147 | 65 | 73 | 31 | 33 |
| No. of cases con firmed: | |||||||||||||||
| (a) paralytic | 78} | 15} | 58} | 40} | 4 | 23 | 19 | 5 | 22 | 24 | 43 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 2 |
| (b) non-paralytic | 7 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 27 | 15 | 28 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | ||||
| Deaths | 4 | 6 | 4 | 7 | — | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
Meningococcal Infection
Five confirmed cases were notified, one of which proved fatal.
Thirty-two other cases were investigated but these were subsequently
not confirmed.
In 1960 also there were five confirmed cases with one death.
Acute Encephalitis
No cases resident in the Borough were reported, but one case
resident elsewhere was admitted to a hospital in this area.
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever
Two suspected cases were investigated during the year, but neither
was subsequently confirmed.
Scarlet Fever
One hundred and seven cases were notified compared with 172 in
1960 and 329 in 1959.
No deaths occurred.