Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wood Green]
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13
The campaign in Wood Green was completed on the 12th February,
1944.
664 manholes were baited. A total of 2,648 unpoisoned baits
and 489 poisoned baits were laid, an estimated kill of 5,4212 rats
being obtained. 1,648 unpoisoned baits and 162 poisoned baits
were laid during the second treatment, with an estimated kill of
825 rats. The net result of this campaign, therefore, was that well
over 6,000 rats were destroyed in the sewers in Wood Green.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Table IV. in the Appendix gives details of all cases of infectious
disease notified during 1944. The total of 527 cases is very
much lower than the corresponding number for the previous year,
which was 776. The incidence of infectious disease was very low,
apart from measles and whooping cough, but in these diseases the
infection was generally of a mild type, so that no death occurred in
the 232 cases of measles and only one in the 134 cases of whooping
-cough which were notified. There were 51 cases of scarlet fever
with no deaths, and only 9 oases of diphtheria. For the fifth year
in succession no death has occurred from diphtheria in Wood. Green.
There were 24 deaths from tuberculosis and 3® from pneumonia.
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION.
Immunisation against diphtheria was carried out as in former
years, but the number immunised fell very much below that for the
previous year, the fall being very largely due to interruption of the
work during the period of fly-bomb and rocket activity. The number
immunised was 516, 358 of these being under 5 years of age
and 158 from 5 to 15 years. The material used in all cases was
Alum Precipitated Toxoid, provided free by the Ministry of
Health. At the end of the year it was estimated that 55 per cent.
of children under 5 years and 88 per cent. of children from 5 to 15
years had been immunised.