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
Southgate 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southgate]
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PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OF
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
From the table of infectious diseases set out on page 33, it
will be seen that 188 cases of infectious disease were notified
during the year against 915 in 1961. The Infectious Sickness Rate
for the year was therefore 2.62 as compared with 12.79 during the
previous year.
The following table sets out the infectious diseases notified during 1962, as compared with the notifications received during 1961:—
| 1962 | 1961 | |
|---|---|---|
| Scarlet fever | 14 | 21 |
| Pertussis | 11 | 6 |
| Measles | 98 | 733 |
| Pneumonia | 3 | 23 |
| Poliomyelitis (non-paralytic) | 1 | — |
| Dysentery | 17 | 88 |
| Encephalitis | — | 1 |
| Food Poisoning | 27 | 13 |
| Erysipelas | — | 2 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 1 | — |
| Tuberculosis | 16 | 28 |
| 188 | 915 |
From the table set out above, the following facts emerge :—
1. Scarlet fever notifications totalled 14 in 1962, a drop of 7
on the 1961 figures.
2. It is now 15 years since the last case of diphtheria was
notified in the Borough and 20 years since this was a cause of death.
Outbreaks of diphtheria still occur from time to time in different
parts of England and Wales but if we can succeed in keeping our
immunisation rate at its present very high level, we should certainly
avoid any danger of such an outbreak in Southgate. The fact that
96.9% of infants under 2 years of age are protected against
diphtheria is very gratifying. The great majority of these
immunisations are combined in the triple antigen giving protection
against whooping cough and tetanus as well.
3. Measles notifications fell from 733 in 1961 to 98 this year.
The type of infection was again very mild.
30