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
Willesden 1942
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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Laboratory. Table No. 24.
| No. | Nature of Examination. | Positive result. | Negative result. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swabs for C. diphtheriae | 273 | 1,792 | 2,065 |
| 2 | Swabs for C. diphtherie with typing | - | — | 80 |
| 3 | Sputum, etc.—Direct examination for M. tuberculosis | 25 | 182 | 207 |
| 4 | Sputum, etc.—Concentration with antiformin | 10 | 96 | 106 |
| 5 | Sputum, etc.—Culture for M. tuberculosis | — | 3 | 3 |
| 6 | Blood—Widal | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 7 | Blood—Cultures | - | 12 | |
| 8 | Blood—Counts | - | — | 46 |
| 9 | Blood—Films | — | — | 40 |
| 10 | Blood—Chemical examinations | - | — | 77 |
| 11 | Urine—Chemical examinations | - | — | 102 |
| 12 | Urine—Microscopical examinations | - | — | 111 |
| 13 | Urine—Cultural examinations | - | — | 73 |
| 14 | Faeces—Chemical examinations | - | — | 3 |
| 15 | Faeces—Cultural examinations | - | — | 118 |
| 16 | Cerebro-Spinal Fluid—Chemical examinations | - | — | 24 |
| 17 | Cerebro-Spinal Fluid—Microscopical examinations | - | — | 36 |
| 18 | Cerebro-Spinal Fluid—Cultural examinations | - | — | 16 |
| 19 | Swabs, etc.—Direct smears | - | — | 181 |
| 20 | Swabs, etc.—Cultures | - | — | 322 |
| 21 | Gastric contents | - | — | 1 |
| 22 | Water—Presumptive B. coli test | - | — | 48 |
| 23 | Water—Enumeration of organisms | - | — | 48 |
| 24 | Drugs for sterility | - | — | 2 |
| 25 | Miningococcus serological grouping | - | — | 3 |
| 26 | Streptococcus serological grouping | - | — | 1 |
| 27 | Salmonella serological identifications | - | — | 14 |
| 28 | Preparation of Vaccines | - | — | 2 |
| 29 | Cough Plates | - | 4 | 4 |
| Total | - | - | 3,759 |
Table No. 25.
Sources of Specimens examined 1942.
| Municipal Hospital | 2,102 Other Hospitals | 5 |
| Private Practitioners | 934 Engineer's Department | 96 |
| Health Centres | 615 | |
| Middlesex County Council Dispensary | 7 | 3,759 |
Table No. 26.
Annual Number of Specimens.
| 1932 | 4,526 | 1936 | 7,075 | 1940 | 2,850 | |
| 1933 | 5,908 | 1937 | 6,305 | 1941 | 3,017 | |
| 1934 | 6,693 | 1938 | 8,604 | 1942 | 3,759 | |
| 1935 | 7,774 | 1939 | 6,528 |
Schick Test and Active Immunisation against Diphtheria 1942.
Nursing Staff.
During 1926 a commencement was made in Schick Testing the Nursing Staff and immunising those
nurses who proved susceptible to diphtheria. Since that date 17 cases of diphtheria have occurred :—
1 in 1927, 1 in 1928, 1 in 1929, 2 in 1930, none in 1931, 1 in 1932, none in 1933, 2 in 1934, 1 in 1935,
2 in 1936, 2 in 1937, 1 in 1938, 2 in 1939, none in 1940, 1 in 1941 and none in 1942.
(1) Number of cases of diphtheria occurring amongst probationer nurses during the first
eight months of 1926 9
(Before immunisation was carried out)
(2) Incidence rate per annum 45%
(Taking 30 as average number of probationer nurses)
(3) Number of cases of diphtheria occurring amongst probationer nurses from 1927
to 1942 17
(After immunisation was carried out)
(4) Incidence rate per annum 3.5%
(Taking 30 as average number of probationer nurses)
(5) Number of nurses Schick Tested (1927-1942 inclusive) 393
(6) Number of nurses giving a positive reaction 178
(7) Percentage of nurses giving a positive reaction 45.3%
(8) Number of nurses re-Schick Tested 93
(9) Number of nurses re-Schick Tested giving a positive reaction 21
(10) Percentage of nurses re-Schick Tested giving a positive reaction 22.5%