View report page

8
II. Hospital Cases.—327.
(a) No. of infecting cases giving rise to return cases not longer than
28 days after discharge 6
,, return cases they gave rise to 6
,, infecting cases per cent. of total hospital cases 1.8
„ return cases per cent. of total hospital cases 1.8
(b) No. of infecting cases giving rise to return cases more than 28
days after discharge 1
,, return cases they gave rise to 1
,, of infecting cases per cent. of total hospital cases 0.3
,, return cases per cent. of total hospital cases 0.3
Small Pox.—No cases of Small Pox were notified during 1938.
No vaccinations were performed by the Medical Officer of Health under the Public Health
(Small Pox Prevention) Regulations, 1917.
Enteric Fever.—Eleven cases were notified as Typhoid or Para-typhoid Fever during 1938
as against 10 in 1937, 10 in 1936, 10 in 1935, 7 in 1934 and 13 in 1933.
Nine cases were removed to hospital—8 to the Willesden Municipal Hospital and 1 to
St. Andrew's Hospital. Two cases were nursed at home. Of the 8 cases removed to the Willesden
Municipal Hospital 1 was diagnosed as Typhoid Fever and 2 as Para-typhoid Fever. The case of
Typhoid Fever was ill on her arrival in England from Spain. All 3 recovered. Of the other 5
removed to the Municipal Hospital 1 was a negative case, 1 was diagnosed as Influenza, 1 as Enteritis,
1 as Polio-encephalitis and 1 as Psittacosis. The two last proved fatal. The case of Psittacosis was
supposed to have been connected with an outbreak of this disease in the London Zoological Gardens.
The case removed to St. Andrew's Hospital was believed to have contracted Typhoid Fever while
nursing a patient suffering from Typhoid Fever in London. She recovered. The two cases nursed
at home recovered.
Malaria.—No cases of Malaria were notified during 1938.
Infectious Diseases of the Nervous System—Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis, Poliomyelitis,
Encephalitis Lethargica and Acute Polio-Encephalitis.—24 cases of these diseases were
notified in 1938. Six of these notified cases proved fatal giving a fatality rate of 25 per cent, of notified
cases. Five of the deaths were certified as due to Cerebro-Spinal Fever. One of these 5 occurred in
1937, the case not being notified till 1938 after death. One was certified as due to Encephalitis
Lethargica. In addition there were 3 further deaths from these diseases in Willesden residents and 1
further death in a non-Willesden resident in an Institution in Willesden.
Since the Autumn of 1931, in accordance with the request of the Ministry of Health, reports
have been sent to the Ministry in cases of Cerebro-Spinal Fever, giving information desired by the
Ministry as to the use and results of anti-meningococcus serum treatment.
Dysentery.—37 cases were notified during 1938. 11 in January, 7 in February, 10 in March,
1 in April, 1 in May, 2 in October, 1 in November, and 4 in December. 10 patients were admitted
to the Municipal Hospital, 13 to other hospitals, and 14 were nursed at home. One man aged 21 years
died in Hospital, the death being certified as due to Ulcerative colitis.
Whooping Cough is a notifiable disease in Willesden. 277 cases were notified during the
year but a total of 506 cases coming to their knowledge were visited by the Health Visitors. There
were 3 deaths from Whooping Cough, all in children under 5 years of age. All 3 deaths occurred in
hospitals.
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 1938, 2,907 cases of measles which is not notifiable in Willesden were visited by the
Health Visitors. There were 6 deaths from Measles in Willesden residents, 2 in children under 1 year
of age, 3 in children between 1 and 5 years of age, and 1 in a man aged 35 years. Four of these
deaths occurred in hospitals. In addition there were 2 deaths from Measles of non-Willesden residents
between 1 and 5 years of age in Institutions in Willesden.
MOTHERS AND CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS.
Municipal Centres.—At the Municipal Centres, expectant mothers attended the medical
consultations and treatment Clinics on 15,464 occasions; nursing mothers 34,023, and children under 5,
64,830, making a total of 114,317 attendances or 6,384 more than last year.
Out of the total number of 2,968 children registered as born alive during the year, 1,927 or
65 per cent. subsequently attended the Municipal Welfare Centres. Altogether, however, 2,158 children
under 1 year of age attended the Municipal Centres for the first time during the year, excluding transfers
from other districts. This represents 73 per cent. of the 2,968 registered live births belonging to
Willesden. 430 children between the ages of 1 and 5 years attended the Municipal Centres for the
first time during the year, excluding transfers from other districts.