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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
Coulsdon and Purley 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Coulsdon]
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INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND THEIR CONTROL
The following table indicates the number of cases of infectious
diseases notified during 1963, the number admitted to hospital and
the number of deaths which occurred.
TABLE V
| Disease. | Numbers Notified. | Admitted to Hospital. | Total Deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet fever | 30 | — | — |
| Acute pneumonia | 14 | 1 | — |
| Measles | 859 | 1 | — |
| Whooping cough | 11 | — | — |
| Erysipelas | 1 | 1 | — |
| Dysentery | 21 | 12 | — |
| Food poisoning | 1 | — | — |
| Acute poliomyelitis | — | — | — |
| Puerperal pyrexia | 2 | — | — |
| Diphtheria | — | — | — |
| Paratyphoid B | — | — | — |
| Acute encephalitis | — | — | — |
| Meningococcal infection | — | — | — |
A further analysis of these cases by ages, wards and the
months during which they occurred is given in Tables XVI and
XVII in the Appendix and the number of cases of infectious
disease notified since 1933 is given in Table XVIII in the Appendix.
It will be seen that tuberculosis is omitted from this list of
infectious diseases, as it is dealt with separately later.
SCARLET FEVER
There were 30 cases of scarlet fever, seven more than the
number that occurred in 1962.
This disease is difficult to control and it is fortunate that in
recent years it has become a very much milder disease than it used
to be.
ACUTE PNEUMONIA
During the year 14 cases occurred, one being admitted to
hospital.
MEASLES
1963 was again an epidemic year for measles: 859 cases
occurred compared with 582 in 1962 which was also an epidemic
year. One case was admitted to hospital.
Immunisation is still not available against this disease although
work is progressing on a vaccine and it remains one of the commonest
diseases of childhood.
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