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
Hornchurch 1944
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornchurch]
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9
SECTION F.
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS
DISEASE.
During the year there was a considerable decrease in the
notifications of infectious disease this being especially marked in
the case of Scarlet Fever and Measles. The Scarlet Fever notifications
numbered 194 as compared with 373 in the previous year
and the Measles notifications dropped from 600 to 154. On the
other hand Whooping Cough notifications increased from 130 to 229.
There were no cases of Smallpox, Typhoid Fever, Ophthalmia
Neonatorum or Poliomyelitis.
In the following table are shown the number of notifications received and the number of cases removed to hospital.
| Disease. | Notified. | Total Number of Cases Admitted to Hospital. |
|---|---|---|
| Smallpox | 0 | 0 |
| Scarlet Fever | 194 | 65 |
| Diphtheria | 7 | 7 |
| Cerebro-spinal Fever | 3 | 3 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 9 | 7 |
| Erysipelas | 23 | 3 |
| Pneumonia | 61 | 28 |
| Measles | 154 | 1 |
| Whooping Cough | 229 | 11 |
| Dysentery | 3 | 1 |
| Encephalitis | 1 | 1 |
Diphtheria Immunisation.
Immunisation against Diphtheria was carried on during the
year. The Ministry of Health, by advertisements in the national
and local press, by their display of advertisements, by the distribution
of literature through the schools and child welfare centres,
and by cinema notices, continued to bring to the notice of the
public the importance of having their children immunised, especially
at the age of one year.
Mothers were also advised b.y the Health Visitors and Sanitary
Inspectors of the facilities provided by the Council for this to be
done.