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
Acton 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]
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It will be seen how widespread the infection of the Borough was, if the Table below be studied, showing the number of schools affected. All schools were affected at one time or another, and most departments of the schools.
| School. | Dept. affected. | So. of Cases. | Families. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priory | All | 22 | 17 |
| Berrymede | All | 23 | 19 |
| Roman Catholic | 8 | 3 | |
| Special School | 10 | 3 | |
| West Acton | 4 | 1 | |
| Beaumont Park | Infants' & Senior Girls' | 4 | 3 |
| Central | 4 | 4 | |
| Acton Wells | All | 11 | 8 |
| Rothschild | Infants | 3 | 2 |
| Southfield | Junior | 1 | 1 |
| John Perryn | All | 8 | 6 |
| Derwentwater | Infants | 1 | 1 |
South Acton was the part of the Borough most affected, and
it was found on tabulating the cases detected that almost throughout
the whole year, cases were cropping up in South Acton and having
to be treated. Certain families proved very troublesome and became
re-infected several times. In the worst case of re-infection the
family is of very low mentality and it was hard to secure understanding
or co-operation in securing freedom from infection and in
maintaining it when attained. In another, the parents were infected
and apparentiy indifferent as to whether they got clear or not. In
others the mother went out to work, the children spent all their
playtime in the streets and probably the parent had less time in
which to look after them properly.
Below is shown the schools affected during the various
months of the year.
January. Priory and Berrymede.
February. Priory, Berrymede, Roman Catholic, and Special School.
March. Priory and Berrymede.
April. Berrymede, Special School, Central, West Acton.
May. Priory, Acton Wells.