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 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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39
The cases per 1,000 births numbered 17 8 in Shoreditch, as compared
with 9-3 for London as a whole. In addition to the cases notified, 53 cases
of inflammation of the eyes in the newly born were reported by the Medical
Officer of Health of the London County Council. This figure includes 10
cases subsequently notified as opthalmia neonatorum and included in the
foregoing table.
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.
Two cases were removed to 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. One case was admitted to St. Leonard's Hospital.
Twelve cases were treated as out-patients at the Royal London Opthalmic
Hospital (Moorfields). Five 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.
Six cases of this disease were known to occur in the Borough during
the year. All terminated fatally. Five were notified cases, of which particulars
will be found in the table on page 26. The remaining case, which
was not diagnosed until after death, was a young girl aged 2 years and four
months, resident in Acton Ward. In five cases the diagnosis was confirmed
by bacteriological examination and in two by post-mortem examination.
Several bacteriological examinations of contacts were made in connection
with these cases, but with negative result in every instance.
The number of deaths from this disease in London and Shoreditch during recent years have been as follows : —
| 1931 | 1930 | 1929 | 1928 | 1927 | |
| Shoreditch | 6 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| London | 131 | 80 | 85 | 61 | 71 |
Encephalitis Lethargica.
"Number of cases notified during the year 3
Number of cases Post Encephalitis Lethargica known to live
in Borough at end of year 27
Number of cases Post Encephalitis Lethargica admitted to
special Institutions during the year 10
Number of applications for admission made by Medical
Officer of Health 10
Of the three cases notified during the year, two were females, aged 21
and 44 years, and one male, aged 48 years.