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
Shoreditch 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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birth. Infection is nearly always from the genital tract and the mother should
accordingly also undergo treatment.
Unfortunately, however, it is only possible to arrange this in very few casts.
| Cases. | Vision unimpaired | Vision impaired. | Total blindness. | Deaths. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notified. | Treated at home. | In Hospital. | ||||
| 30 | 25 | 5 | 30 | ... | ... | ... |
The cases per 1,000 births numbered 15.0 in Shoreditch as compared with 8 9
for London as a whole. In addition to the cases notified, 110 cases of inflammation
of the eyes in the newly born were reported by the Medical Officer of Health of the
London County Council.
The Health Visitor does all that lies in her power to secure that the child receives
prompt and thorough treatment, and she keeps cases under close observation until
the eyes are cured.
At St. Margaret's Hospital—a special institution of the London County
Council for the treatment of this disease—mothers can be admitted with their infants,
thus securing continuity of breast-feeding.
Four of the cases notified during the year were nursed by the nurses of the
Shoreditch and Bethnal Green District Nursing Association, the nurses acting under
the instructions of the doctor in charge of the case.
Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis.
No case was certified during the year.
Encephalitis Lethargica.
Number of cases notified during the year 5
Number of cases Post Encephalitis Lethargica known to live in
Borough at end of year 31
Number of cases Post Encephalitis Lethargica admitted to
special Institutions during the year Nil
Number of applications for admission made by Medical Officer
of Health 3
Of the five cases notified during the year two were females, aged 49 and 56 years,
and three were males, aged 19, 21 and 26 years.
The after effects of this disease are most serious. Years after the initial illness
these patients are frequently in a condition of partial paralysis most distressing to
themselves and to the members of their family who are called upon to give them the
very great deal of assistance that they require.
Arrangements have recently been made and are now under the control of the
London County Council whereby cases of post encephalitis lethargica (persons
suffering from the after effects of the disease) are admitted to special institutions.