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 1943
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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BOROUGH OF WILLESDEN
Health Department,
54, Winchester Avenue,
Kilburn, London, N.W.6.
November, 1944.
To the Corporation of Willesden.
I beg to submit herewith the Annual Health Report for Willesden for the year 1943, in accordance with
instructions received from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education that it should be a short report.
VITAL STATISTICS.
2,657 live births were registered.
71 still births were registered.
1,814 deaths were registered.
The infantile mortality rate for the year was 58.
155 children under one year of age died in 1943.
CANCER.
There were 334 deaths of Willesden residents from Cancer in 1943, as compared with 304 in 1942.
The two Municipal Cancer Clinics were continued throughout the year. 4 new patients attended these Clinics
in 1943 . 2 proved to be suffering from cancer, one of the breast and one of the uterus, and were treated in Hospital.
2 proved not to be suffering from cancer. The total attendances were 12.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the year 1943, 2,738 cases of infectious diseases were notified, as compared with 2,611 in the previous
year.
The following table gives the number of notifications of certain diseases included in the above total of 2,738
together with the corresponding figures for 1942:—
Table No. 1.
| Number of Cases notified. | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | 1943 | |
| Diphtheria | 186 | 136 |
| Scarlet Fever | 351 | 557 |
| Pneumonia | 225 | 439 |
| Whooping Cough | 460 | 238 |
| Erysipelas | 48 | 32 |
| Measles | 955 | 882 |
Diphtheria Immunisation.—The number of children who have completed a full course of immunisation
since 1941 under the Council's scheme is as follows :—
Table No. 2.
| Children under 5 years. | Children 5 years of age and over but under 15 years. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | 1,186 | 813 | 1,999 |
| 1942 | 1,833 | 2,660 | 4,493 |
| 1943 | 1,691 | 2,520 | 4,211 |
The approximate estimated number of children in Willesden at 31st December, 1943, was 10,200 under
5 years of age and 17,000 between 5 and 15 years of age. It was estimated that 51 per cent. of those under 5 years
and 52 per cent. of those between 5 and 15 years had been immunised at 31st December, 1943.
The Council first made arrangements for immunising Willesden children against diphtheria in May, 1927.
Immunisation was carried out at the Kilburn Health Centre and the Municipal Hospital. More recently, when the
number of applicants has been large enough, immunisation sessions have been arranged in the schools. Since
November, 1942, sessions have also been held regularly at each of the Council's Health Centres.