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
Wood Green 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wood Green]
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A broad classification of the cases of tuberculosis
notified during the past five years in relation to employment was:-
| 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clerical | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
| Manual Labour | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| Housewives | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Factory Workers | 8 | 11 | 2 | 4 | - |
| Children | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Professional Classes | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | - |
| Domestic Service | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Nurses | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Shop Assistants | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Armed Forces .. | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Retired Persons | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Unclassified .. | 5 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 43 | 30 | 25 | 24 | 21 |
Our scheme for the B. C.G. vaccination of school children is
actively continuing and is working extremely well. This work is
undertaken by the School Health Services.
IMMUNISATION AND VACCINATION IN THE CONTROL
OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE
I wish especially to mention a recent service made available
in Wood Green Whereby Tetanus Immunisation has been offered to the
outdoor staff employed by the Council. (Although this strictly
belongs to the 1964 report, I make no apology for mentioning it
here).
Absence of immunity to Tetanus carries with it two hazards.
The first, death from Tetanus, may occur when the infection is not
even suspected e. g. from the prick of a rose thorn. The much
commoner hazard, however, is severe reaction and shock from the
giving of Anti-Tetanus Serum, particularly if this is repeated.
Certain employments more than others carry with them the risk
of Tetanus wound infection and any injury under these conditions
will demand the giving of anti-tetanus serum.
The only means of avoiding both the danger of contracting
tetanus and the danger of serum reaction is by Tetanus Immunisation,
In those so protected injury calls for simply a small boost dose
of toxoid and there is no need for administration of serum.
Tetanus Immunisation was first made available through local
health authorities in 1960, and since then has been offered each
year to all our infants, pre-school and schol children. Accordingly
by now most young people up to the age of 18 have had the
opportunity of this protection and have widely availed themselves
of it. This, however, leaves almost the entire adult population
24