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

Ealing 1951

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]

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Table: Ages at Death from Notifiable Infectious Diseases.

Ages at Death from Notifiable Infectious Diseases.

DiseaseUnder One Yeari to 22 to 33 to 44 to 55 to 1010 to 1515 to 2020 to 3535 to 4545 to 6565 and upwardsTotals
Diphtheria-------------
Scarlet Fever-------------
Enteric Fever-------------
Puerperal Sepsis-------------
Pneumonia :
Primary-i2-----76304187
Influenzal----------426
Acute Poliomyelitis------------1
Cerebro-Spinal Fever-------------
Malaria-------------
Dysentery-------------
Erysipelas-------------
Encephalitis L,ethargica-------------
Tuberculosis :
Pulmonarv-------I876830
Non-Pulmonary--------i—214
OphthalmiaNeonatorum------------
Measles------------1
Whooping Cough------------1
Totals1i2——1-117134252130

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Diphtheria.
Only 2 cases of this disease were notified during the year—
and this is the lowest number of notifications ever recorded
(3 in 1950).
The first, a soldier aged 20, was a confirmed case (the first
since 1949). The disease was not really contracted in Ealing,
however, for he had been ill in barracks for four days before returning
home.
The second case, a woman of 35, was admitted to hospital,
but the diagnosis was not confirmed.
There have been no deaths from diphtheria in the Borough
since 1947. We may compare this with 1935 when there were 228
cases, with 15 deaths.
The figures for England and Wales continue to show a steep
decline in mortality with only 34 deaths in 1951.
The eradication of diphtheria as an endemic diseases is now a
practical possibility—but one which can only be realised by unceasing
vigilance.