London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Erith 1944

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Erith]

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Fibrositis1
Bulge R. Leg1
Adenoids1
Epiphysitis1
Hamstrings very tight1
General Health13
188133

INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Scarlet Fever.
Cases of Scarlet Fever were notified throughout the year
and 55 of these were school children. Of this number 34
children were admitted to the borough's isolation hospital, the
remainder being nursed at home under the supervision of their
private practitioners.
Practically all were mild cases and only two of those
admitted to the isolation hospital developed complications, in
both instances this being due to Otorrhoea which healed satisfactorily.
Two other cases admitted to the hospital were found to
be also suffering from Scabies.
Measles.
Only 44 cases of measles were notified during the year and
of these 9 were school children, no serious illness being
recorded.
Whooping Cough.
As noted in the medical officer of health's report, there was
an outbreak of whooping cough in the first half of the year.
38 school children were notified but no severe cases
occurred. Only one of these children had had the protective
treatment, nearly three years previously in 1941, for immunisation
against whooping cough.
Diphtheria.
Only two children were notified as suffering from diphtheria
in 1944 and both made excellent recoveries. This is a splendid
tribute to the immunisation campaign and the figure for school
children immunised against diphtheria is now 93.31 per cent,
of the school population.
Arrangements are still in force under which any school
children can obtain this preventative treatment free of cost on
any weekday at the school clinic, without previous appointment.
The following table illustrates the number of school children
immunised:—