London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Islington 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington]
This page requires JavaScript
33 [1934
The returns for the preceding ten years are given in the following state ments :—
| Year. | Cases. | Attack-rates per 1,000 civil population. |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | 2,085 | 6.06 |
| J 926 | 2,194 | 6.47 |
| 1926 | 1,918 | 5.65 |
| 1927 | 1,813 | 5.42 |
| 1928 | 2,260 | 6.96 |
| 1929 | 2,439 | 7.62 |
| 1930 | 3,057 | 9.38 |
| 1931 | 2,111 | 6.50 |
| 1932 | 1,962 | 6.04 |
| 1933 | 2,016 | 0.32 |
| 10 years average 2,131 | 6 49 | |
| 1934 2,227 | 7.08 | |
| Total cases notified. | |
|---|---|
| Tufnell | 223 |
| Upper Holloway | 193 |
| Tollington | 227 |
| Lower Holloway | 291 |
| Highbury | 300 |
| Barnsbury | 470 |
| Islington South-East | 523 |
| Total | 2,227 |
SMALL POX.
There were 70 cases notified during the year, of which number 1 was unconfirmed.
Of the 69 confirmed cases, 61 were unvaccinated, and 8 (adults) were
vaccinated in infancy. The unconfirmed case was an adult vaccinated in infancy.
The type of Smallpox was as usual Variola Minor.
The first case was notified on the 1st January, 1934, the patient being a
scholar at Tollinglon Park Central School. The second case notified was a married
woman, aged 23 years, and the source of the disease was obscure. It was, however,
discovered that she had been in contact with a case which had been considered
to be Chicken-pox, and this appeared to be the source of the infection, inasmuch
as the father of this alleged case of Chicken-pox, aged 62 years, developed Smallpox.
Luckily as far as our knowledge goes, from this " missed " case there were
only three persons infected, cases Nos. 2, 6 and 8. The difficulty in tracing the
source of infection of case No. 2, that is, the first case infected from the alleged
" Chicken-pox," was that the patient and her husband, being in the theatrical
profession, were known to the contacts only by their professional names. Cases
Nos. 3, 9, 10, 20, 21, 22 and 24 were associated by visitation or residence, and thus
the source of infection was clear. Case No. 7 was a known contact of No. 4, and
No. 19 with No. 7.
The next serious outbreak developed from a school connection. Two children
sickened on the 21st January; one attended St. Mary Magdalene School and the
other Westbourne Road School. The source of infection of these children was not
traced, but the scholar at Westbourne Road School was evidently the primary
cause of the subsequent cases. There were at Westbourne Road School 11
scholars in all affected. In collaboration with the School Authorities it was
arranged that our Public Vaccinator should attend at Westbourne Road School
and vaccinate the children whose parents had given consent. 183 consented ; 168
of these were successfully vaccinated, 14 appeared to be immune, and 1 could not