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 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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INFECTIVE DISEASES 21
Measles
The number of cases notified during the year was 691 compared
with 4,912 in 1961, 825 in 1960 and 3,212 in 1959.
Poliomyelitis
Twelve cases of this disease were reported and investigated
during the year, compared with 33 in the previous year.
In 10 cases the diagnosis was not confirmed. The remaining two
confirmed cases were of the paralytic type.
The figures of poliomyelitis from 1947 to 1962, 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 | 1962 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of cases reported as suspected poliomyelitis and investigated | 119 | 31 | 89 | 71 | 29 | 73 | 73 | 41 | 104 | 85 | 147 | 65 | 73 | 31 | 33 | 12 |
| No. of cases confirmed: | ||||||||||||||||
| (a) paralytic | 78 | 15 | 58 | 40 | 4 | 23 | 19 | 5 | 22 | 24 | 44 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| (b) nonparalytic | 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
Six confirmed cases were notified, one of which proved fatal.
Thirty-five other cases were investigated but these were subsequently
not confirmed.
In 1961 there were five confirmed cases with one death.
Acute Encephalitis
Two cases occurred during the year.
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever
There were four confirmed cases of paratyphoid fever during the
year.
Scarlet Fever
One hundred and nine cases were notified compared with 107 in
1961 and 172 in 1960.
No deaths occurred.