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
Enfield 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Enfield]
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The following table shows the number of notifications of cases of Infectious Diseases per 1,000 civilian population for Enfield as compared with England and Wales, 126 County Boroughs and Great Towns including London, 148 Smaller Towns with Resident population 25,000-50,000 (1931 Census) and London Administrative County.
| ENFIELD. | England and Wales. | 126 C.Bs. and Great Towns including London. | 148 Smaller Towns Resident Pop. 25,000-50,000 1931 Census. | London Adm. County. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typhoid Fever | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Paratyphoid Fever | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Cerebro-Spinal Fever | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Scarlet Fever | 1.74 | 1.37 | 1.54 | 1.37 | 1.31 |
| Whooping Cough | 4.08 | 2.22 | 2.41 | 2.02 | 2.80 |
| Diphtheria | 0.05 | 0.13 | 0.15 | 0.14 | 0.14 |
| Erysipelas | 0.20 | 0.19 | 0.21 | 0.18 | 0.22 |
| Smallpox | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Measles | 9.05 | 9.41 | 9.13 | 9.58 | 5.29 |
| Pneumonia | 0.62 | 0.79 | 0.89 | 0.68 | 0.64 |
DIPHTHERIA
During the year only six cases of Diphtheria occurred in the
district, an increase of three on the previous year's figure.
The six cases, none of which were fatal, occurred in children
between the ages of one and nine years.
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION
Through the services of the Council 1,581 children were
immunised for the first time and 701 received subsequent reinforcing
doses during the year.
The number of parents accepting this service for their
children is not sufficiently high to warrant any sense of security.
POLIOMYELITIS AND POLIO-ENCEPHALITIS
During the year, 18 confirmed cases of Poliomyelitis and Polioencephalitis
occurred in Enfield, of which 16 cases were notified
during the months of July, August, September and October, when
there was a widespread epidemic of these diseases throughout the
country. There were no cases of either disease in the district during
1946.
Of the 18 cases, five occurred in adults. There were three
deaths, two of which were in adult patients. Varying degrees of
residual paralysis occurred in a few patients, one child being transferred
to the Royal National Orthopædic Hospital, Stanmore, for