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 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornchurch]
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38
It is also of interest in that although it occurred in a house and in
circumstances where any infectious disease might readily have been
thought likely to spread, and in which the other children had not
been immunised, nevertheless no further case of Diphtheria
occurred.
The arrangements for protection against this disease have now
passed completely under the control of the Local Health Authority.
Diphtheria Immunisation.
During the period ending 4th July, 1948, 871 children (805
under 5, and 66 over 5) completed the course of two injections of
A.P.T. with an interval of four weeks between each injection, and
507 children were given a secondary or re-inforcing injection subsequent
to the complete full course.
The following shows the immunisation state in relation to the child population up to the 31st December, 1948:—
| Age at 31.12.48 | Number Immunised | Estimated mid-year child population | Percentage of children Immunised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 58 | 9,094 | 51% |
| 1 | 1,152 | ||
| 2 | 1,316 | ||
| 3 | 983 | ||
| 4 | 1,159 | ||
| 5 to 9 | 5,180 | 14,041 | 71% |
| 10 to 14 | 4,840 | ||
| Total under 15 | 14,688 | 23,135 | 63% |
Infantile Paralysis.
9 cases were notified as against 13 last year, the months of
August and September again showing the greatest number of cases
and one death resulting in each year.
In the absence of a simple conclusive test the diagnosis of the
abortive case and the control of spread is complicated and the premonitory
symptoms of Poliomyelitis are common to so many illnesses
as to render missed cases inevitable.
Public awareness of the disease following upon last year's
epidemic has undoubtedly resulted in medical advice being more
readily sought, and whilst this has possibly increased the number
of cases ascertained, it will correspondingly have reduced the chance
of unwitting spread.
Scarlet Fever.
116 cases occurred during the year, representing a decreased
incidence of 6, as compared with 1947.
In considering 92 of these cases in which circumstances render
environmental analysis worth recording in this report, it appears that
44 of the cases occurred in households of four people (including the
patient) ; 17 in households of 5 persons ; 15 in households of 3