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
Havering 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Havering]
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INFECTIOUS DISEASES
The following table shows the number of cases of infectious diseases which were notified during the year-
| Disease | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measles | 502 | 475 | 977 |
| Dysentery | 27(8) | 25(10) | 52 (18) |
| Scarlet Fever | 47 | 54 | 101 |
| Whooping Cough | 58 | 83 | 141 |
| Infective Jaundice | 28 | 19 | 47 |
| Tuberculosis: Respiratory | 15 | 10 | 25 |
| Tuberculosis: Other | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Acute Meningitis | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Acute Encephalitis (Post Infectious) | 3 | — | 3 |
| Acute Encephalitis (Infectious) | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Food Poisoning | 104(12) | 131(27) | 235(39) |
| Figure's in () are confirmed cases of food poisoning and dysentery | |||
It is once again very pleasing to record the fact that there
were no cases of Poliomyelitis, Anthrax, Cholera, Diphtheria,
Leptospirosis, Malaria, Ophthalmia Neonatorum, Paratyphoid
Fever, Plague, Relapsing Fever, Smallpox, Tetanus, Typhoid
or Yellow Fever notified during the year, although there was the
usual crop of holiday-makers and travellers returning from countries
in which certain of these diseases were endemic and who
required surveillance or investigation.
There was a slight increase (28) in the number of cases of
measles notified, and it might well be that the steady programme
of vaccination against this disease has created a levelling out
in the number of cases. A total of 977 this year and 94 7 for the
previous year compare very favourably with 5,361 in 1961 and
4,239 in 1965.
There was an increase of 113 cases of whooping cough—
from 28 to 141, but here again this total of 141 must be read
against figures in the region of 600 per annum in pre-immunisation
days.
17