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
Romford 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Romford]
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31
(a) Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis
So tar as we were concerned in Romford, this has not been an
epidemic year. Three cases were notified with varying degrees of
paralysis, and 7 were of the non-paralytic type. One of the former,
unfortunately, died.
During the early part of the year, the County decided to implement
the Circular from the Ministry of Health which gave particulars of a
scheme for vaccination against Poliomyelitis.
As a result of this, 173 children received the first injection, but, for
one reason or another did not have the second injection, and 836 completed
both injections.
(b) Acute Infective Hepatitis.
This condition remains notifiable in this region. Altogether, there
wer 14 notifications.
(c) Diphtheria.
No cases of Diphtheria were reported.
The following statistics relate to the state of Immunisation at the
31st December, 1956. In addition to the initial series of injections,
"booster" doses have also been administered.
TABLE 15
| Under 5 years | 5-15 years | |
|---|---|---|
| Nui ber of children who had completed a full cc rse of Immunisation at any time up to 3 t December, 1956, and who were bom b _ween 31st December, 1941, and 31st December, 1956 | 5,198 | 15,244 |
(d) Dysentery.
forty-eight cases of Dysentery were notified, as belonging to
Romford. Twenty-five of these were due to Shigella Sonnei, and twentythree
were unclassified.
At the early part of November, a number of cases of diarrhoea
and vomiting was reported by the Headmistress of one of the Infants'
schools. Home visits were immediately carried out on all absentees,
and faecal samples were requested from those suffering from diarrhoea
and vomiting. Bacteriological examination showed a number to be
affected by Shigella Sonnei,
As the majority of the patients had not partaken of school meals,
this factor was excluded, but, nevertheless, a sample of the meals was
examined, and found to be negative.
Suitable advice was given as to the precautionary measures to
adopt, and, each morning,, a new list of absentees was submitted, and
the homes were visited.
Subsequently, cases were also ascertained in two school departments,
within the same curtilage.
As I made it a condition that three consecutive negative results
had to be obtained, before the patients were re-admitted to the schools,
this caused a low attendance for some time.