London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Willesden 1933

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]

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Sick Staff.

The following are the figures for the past four years for the Nursing Staff:—

Number of Nurses who were off duty for 24 hours or more.Number of days off duty.
193031521
193133483
193228384
193332560

Included in the above figures are two members of the Nursing Staff who were off duty for 180
days and 78 days respectively, the former suffering from Chronic Nephritis and the latter from an
abdominal condition which required an operation. Three nurses contracted scarlet fever. The
other illnesses were of a minor nature.
Duration of Stay in Hospital.
(1) Scarlet Fever.
The average length of detention of scarlet fever patients shows a slight decrease this year, and
I think we have probably reached the lowest average it is possible to attain having regard to the
minimum period of stay in hospital which is 28 days.
Average stay in hospital of scarlet fever patients during recent years:-
1926—47.2 1932—34.5
1928—37.0 1933—32.1
(2) Diphtheria.
The average length of detention of diphtheria patients also shows a decrease, and this can
be accounted for by the fact that the majority of the cases were of a mild type.
1929—51.7 1932—45.6
1931—56.2 1933—42.0
(3) Other Diseases.
Average stay in hospital of patients suffering from " other diseases " 1930—1933:—
1930—27.1 1932—27.2
1931—29.3 1933—25.5
Schick Test and Active Immunisation against Diphtheria.
(1) Nursing Staff.
During 1926 a commencement was made in Schick Testing the Nursing Staff and immunising
those nurses who proved to be susceptible to diphtheria. Since that date 6 cases of diphtheria have
occurred, 1 in 1927, 1 in 1928, 1 in 1929, 2 in 1930 and 1 in 1932. The particulars of these cases
have been given in previous Annual Reports.
The following table demonstrates the benefits derived from this method of preventive medicine :
(1) Number of cases of diphtheria occurring amongst probationer nurses during
the first eight months of 1926 (before immunisation was carried out.). 9
(2) Incidence rate per annum (taking 30 as average number of probationer nurses). 45%
(3) Number of cases of diphtheria occurring amongst probationer nurses from
1927 to 1933 (after immunisation was carried out). 6
(4) Incidence rate per annum (taking 30 as average number of probationer nurses). 2.8%
(5) Number of nurses Schick Tested (1927 to 1933 inclusive) 196
(6) Number of nurses giving a positive reaction 97
(7) Percentage of nurses giving a positive reaction 49.4
(8) Number of nurses re-Schick Tested 46
(9) Number of nurses re-Schick Tested giving a positive reaction 17
(10) Percentage of nurses re-Schick Tested giving a positive reaction 36.9

The following are the figures for the past four years for the Domestic Staff:—

Number of Maids who were off duty far 24 hours or more.No. of days off duty.
1930 1931 1932 193311 15 9 13281 212 133 131
One maid contracted diphtheria. She made a good recovery.