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
Marylebone 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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During the year, 413 rooms and 2,030 articles of bedding (mattresses, blankets, sheets, bolsters,
pillows, etc.), together with 1,147 books, were disinfected, and 405 dressing drums from a local
hospital were sterilised.
From time to time the Department has been called upon by residents in the Borough to disinfect
worn clothing intended for despatch to foreign countries whose postal regulations require a certificate
of disinfection from the local sanitary authority to accompany each parcel, although invariably there
has been no contact with infectious disease. The demand for this service increased towards the end
of the year, and altogether 79 parcels were dealt with during 1952, no charge being made.
Bacteriological Examinations.—Table 16 shows the number of specimens examined for the purposes
of diagnosis and indicates also the organisms in relation to which the examinations were made.
TABLE 16.—Work of the Bacteriological Laboratory.
| Nature of Specimen and Examination | Positive | Negative | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throat and nasal swabs for— | |||
| B. diphtheriae | — | 78 | 78 |
| Haemolytic streptococci | 5 | 37 | 42 |
| Vincent's organisms | 13 | 4 | 17 |
| Vaginal swab—for haemolytic streptococci | 1 | — | 1 |
| Cough plate—for H. pertussis | — | 1 | 1 |
| Sputa—for tubercle bacilli | 2 | 32 | 34 |
| Faeces—for parasites | — | 1 | 1 |
| Faeces—for dysentery, food poisoning organisms and typhoid | — | 73 | 73 |
| Blood—for typhoid, paratyphoid and Brucella abortus | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Blood—for glandular fever | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Foods—for food poisoning organisms | — | 9 | 9 |
| Totals | 24 | 239 | 263 |