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 Beckenham]
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INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
The following table gives the number of cases which were notified during the year, the number removed to Hospital, and the age grouping:—
Disease. | Notified | Removed to Hospital | Age Groups. | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beck. | W.W. | Total | under l yr. | 1/2 | 2/3 | 3/4 | 4/5 | 5/ 10 | 10/ 15 | 15/ 20 | 20/ 35 | 35/ 45 | 45/ 65 | 65 & over | ||
Diphtheria | 5 | 8 | 13 | – | – | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 111 | 39 | 12 | 8 | 2 | – | – |
Scarlet Fever | 171 | 30 | 201 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | — | — | –_ |
Enteric Fever | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | _ | — | _ | — | — | — | 1 | _ |
Pneumonia | 39 | 10 | 49 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 8 |
Puerperal Pyrexia | 7 | 3 | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 3 | – | – |
Erysipelas | 9 | 1 | 10 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 3 | 2 |
Ophthalmia Neonatorum | 2 | – | 2 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Measles (from 1/10/39) | 2 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – |
Whooping Cough (from 1/10/39) | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Tuberculosis (all Forms) | 55 | 11 | 66 | – | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 8 | 31 | 10 | 13 | 2 |
DIPHTHERIA.
Thirteen cases were notified, compared with 22 cases in 1938.
Seven of the eight cases notified from West Wickham were patients
and nurses in a Hospital.
Only two cases occurred during the year in the Elementary
Schools in the Borough.
Immunisation.—Consents were received in respect of 446
children and 255 of these were under school age ; of the remainder
191 attended Elementary Schools.
Most of the children under five years of age were given this
treatment at the Welfare Centres, making 362 attendances for this
purpose only.
SCARLET FEVER.
The incidence continued to rise through the early part of the
year. In all 201 cases were notified compared with 174 in 1938.
The incidence in West Wickham declined to 30 cases compared
with 61 in 1938. Cases occurred all over the Borough, the only
noteworthy increase in prevalence observed being in the Eden
Park Ward during March; this part of the Borough had remained
comparatively free from Scarlet Fever during the recent years;
by the month of May the incidence in this particular area was again
within normal limits.
PUERPERAL PYREXIA.
Ten cases were notified: four occurred in the Beckenham
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