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Small Pox.-—2 cases of Small Pox were notified in 1931 as against 9 in 1930 and 47 in 1929.
The patients were admitted to the Small Pox Hospital of the London County Council and
recovered.
No vaccinations were performed by the Medical Officer of Health under the Public Health
(Small Pox Prevention) Regulations, 1917.
Typhoid Fever.—Fifteen cases were notified during 1931 as against 10 in 1930 and 6 in 1929.
Fourteen of these cases were removed to the Municipal Hospital.
Two were diagnosed as Typhoid Fever and recovered. The source of infection was untraced.
Five were diagnosed as paratyphoid B; 4 recovered and 1 was still in hospital at the
end of the year. Two of these patients were sisters who took ill together the day before returning
home after a week's holiday at a seaside resort. The source of infection was untraced. Of the
other 3 cases the first was a patient, the second a theatre maid, and the third a theatre nurse at a
hospital in Willesden. These occurred within a short time of each other. The nurse had been in
contact with the maid, but there was no history of contact between either of these and the patient.
Of the other 7 notified cases removed to the Municipal Hospital 1 was diagnosed as enteritis.
1 as pleurisy, 1 as influenza, and 1 as (?) influenza (?) malaria. All these 4 recovered. The remaining
3 patients died, one death being certified after postmortem as due to malignant endocarditis, and two
to tubercular meningitis.
The fifteenth notified case was nursed in St. Andrew's Hospital and recovered. The source of
infection was untraced.
No deaths were recorded from Typhoid Fever during 1931.
Infectious Diseases of the Nervous System, Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis, Poliomyelitis,
Encephalitis Lethargica and Acute Polio-Encephalitis.—14 cases of these diseases were
notified in 1931, 5 proved fatal, giving a fatality rate of 36 per cent. of notified cases.
7 deaths in all were attributed to these diseases in 1931; 2 of these related to cases which
had not been notified in Willesden.
Whooping Cough is a notifiable disease in Willesden. 514 cases were notified during the year,
but a total of 930 cases coming to their knowledge were visited by the Health Visitors.
Non-Notifiable Acute Infectious Diseases are reported from the Public Elementary
Schools and are found by the Health Visitors during the course of home visitation.
During 1931, 408 cases of measles, which is not notifiable in Willesden, were visited by
the Health Visitors.
Prevalence of Rats or Mosquitos.—Several complaints as to the presence of rats were
received. After verification the complaints were forwarded to the Inspector of Rat Destruction,
Middlesex County Council, who administer The Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919.
No complaints have been received as to the presence of mosquitos in the district.
MOTHERS AND CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS.
Municipal Centres.—At the Municipal Centres, including the Ringworm Centre, expectant
mothers attended the medical consultations on 5,077 occasions; nursing mothers, 21,046, and children
under 5, 50,272, making a total of 76,395 attendances.
Out of the total number of 2,838 children born during the year, 1,378 or 49 per cent.
subsequently attended the Welfare Centres.
The number of births occurring amongst expectant mothers who attended the Ante-Natal
Clinics was 808; 63 per cent. of these mothers with their babies subsequently attended the Welfare
Centres.
Hospital Maternity Cases.—The Willesden Maternity Hospital was opened on February
14th, 1931, and on and after midnight, February 14th-15th, the Council's maternity cases were
admitted to this Hospital instead of to the Central Middlesex County Hospital (formerly Park Royal
Hospital).
The following table shows the bookings year by year for hospital confinement under the
Council's schemes since hospital provision was first made by the Council for such cases:—