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
Bexley 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bexley]
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| 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measles. No. of cases notified | 3 | 25 | 1122 | 537 | 823 | 342 | 451 |
| No. of cases treated in Hospital | 1 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 11 |
| No. of deaths | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
The previous measles epidemic was in 1938, and the
epidemic expected in 1940 did not materialise. In 1941,
however, the epidemic began with two cases in the first
week of the year, and the number of cases rose gradually
to a peak by the third week in June, with a slight remission
two weeks after the school Easter Holiday which
covered the two weeks ending the 10th and 17th April.
After the peak in July the number of cases notified fell
rapidly and the last case was notified in the last week
in August.
Measles serum for prophylaxis etc. is supplied on application by the Kent County Council to General Practitioners for contacts, but the number of requests for this serum has been small.
| 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whooping Cough. No. of cases notified | 18 | 6 | 388 | 147 | 108 | 214 | 69 |
| No. of cases treated in Hospital | 11 | — | 12 | 12 | 1 | 3 | — |
| No. of deaths | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| No. inoculated against Whooping Cough— scheme commenced in 1942 | — | — | — | 1296 | 1595 | 763 | 1049 |
| Cases occurring in inoculated children | — | — | — | — | 7 | 24 | 13 |
Vaccination against this disease of children under
the age of 5, i.e. in the vulnerable years, was commenced
in 1942. The material used was a concentrated vaccine,
two injections at 4 weeks interval. This became unobtainable
during 1945 and the Scheme was temporarily
suspended In individual outbreaks in vaccinated day
nursery children there was not enough evidence to state
that these children had benefited. On the other hand,
there were no deaths from this disease in 1944 and 1945.
The question of the value of this vaccine must still be
kept open.
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