Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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be brought from America and Canada In September the Ministry of Health determined
to import Canadian and American vaccine, but to test it in England before use.
The programme was limited to various age groups and persons exposed to special
risk. Once again we protested that this was inadequate.
In July, 1958, the "Medical Officer" - a journal for medical men and women
in Government and Municipal services, published a letter from us in which we
stated that we considered an adequate programme should include a course of three
suitably spaced injections for all individuals under the age of 40, expectant
mothers and those exposed to special risk, both here and in journeying abroad,
We were pleased to see later that the Government's programme had been enlarged
to provide three injections for all persons up to the age of 25.
We are not entirely happy as to the publicity which is being given to the
subject of immunisation against poliomyelitis. In a recent investigation we
found that the percentage of expectant mothers immunised is very low. We obtained
figures from seven London hospitals and on the 3rd July, of 419 mothers in the
maternity departments of these hospitals, only 64 had received either one or two
injections against poliomyelitis.
We should like to know what steps will be taken to bring home to individuals
above school-leaving age and under 25, the advantages of immunisation. When
adults contract poliomyelitis they tend to get very severe paralytic attacks
and this also applies to persons travelling abroad, where the virus is endemic.
We neither of us feel that we should be conscientiously carrying out our
duty without a mention in this annual report of our views on this subject. At
the same time, we would like to express our appreciation of the support we have
received steadily and regularly from the Public Health Committee and the Council,
whose resolutions on this subject have been passed to the appropriate Ministry.
Slum Clearance
During 1957 I represented the following areas:–
Model Buildings 12 houses 34 occupants
Jamestown Road 14 houses 88 occupants
Arlington Road 12 houses 91 occupants
At the time of writing this report the position was as follows:-
| Area | Date of Representation | Date Borough Council made order | Date order sent to Ministry | Date of Enquiry | Date of confirmation of order | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.H. Committee | Council | |||||
| Cranleigh Street | 15.2.56 | 14.3.56 | 25.4.56 | 31.8.56 | 20.12.56 | 26.4.57 |
| Ferdinand Street | 19.9.56 | 10.10.56 | 14.11.56 | 13.2.57 | 16.7.57 | 25.11.57 |
| Bayham Place (Plender Street) | 19.9.56 | 10.10.56 | 14.11.56 | 13.2.57 | 16.7.57 | 25.11.57 |
| Model Buildings | 5.6.57 | 26.6.57 | 9.12.57 | 14.12.57 | 7.5.58 | 14.7.58 |
| Jamestown Road (Arlington Road) | 18.9.57 | 9.10.57 | 25.6.58 | CP0.1.8.58 CO.29.7.58 | – | – |
| Drummond Crescent | 15.1.58 | 5.2.58 | 19.3.58 | 1.9.58 | - | - |
| Prowse Place | 2.4.58 | 30.4.58 | 25.6.58 | 18.8.58 | - | - |
| Wicklow Street | 2.4.58 | 30.4.58 | 25.6.58 | 26.8.58 | - | - |
| Falkland Place | 4.6.58 | 25.6.58 | 30.7.58 | – | – | – |
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