London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Shoreditch 1931

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]

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43
be called in at once, for many children lose their lives, or suffer from
ill-health for years as a result of the after-effects of the disease, mainly
because the disease is neglected in the early stages. The child should
on no account be exposed to chill or draughts, or allowed to run about
until the doctor or nurse gives consent.
IMMEDIATELY MEASLES OCCURS IN YOUR FAMILY YOU
SHOULD INFORM THE HEAD TEACHER OF THE SCHOOL
ATTENDED BY YOUR CHILDREN OR THE HEALTH VISITOR AT
THE INFANT WELFARE CENTRES OR SEND WORD TO THE
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH AT THE TOWN HALL.
IF CHILDREN ARE ABSENT FROM SCHOOL FOR MORE THAN
TWO DAYS, PARENTS ARE SPECIALLY ASKED TO SEND A NOTE
TO THE HEAD TEACHER STATING THE REASON FOR SUCH
ABSENCE.
A child showing signs of sickening or suffering from measles must
not attend Sunday School, Play Centres, Cinemas, Public Baths, or
any place of entertainment, nor mix with other children.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE REMOVAL OF A MEASLES
PATIENT TO HOSPITAL OR FOR NURSING ASSISTANCE IN THE
HOME MAY BE MADE IN SPECIAL CASES WHEN THE
NEED FOR THIS IS KNOWN TO THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
The sooner you send word of the existence of measles in the home the
sooner will the Medical Officer of Health know and the sooner will help
be forthcoming. Do not wait until bronchitis or pneumonia develop—
it may then be too late.
In October, at the beginning of the epidemic, careful consideration was
given to the question of making measles serum available for practitioners
in the Borough who wished to use it for the purpose of protecting young
children who had been exposed to infection. The supply of this serum,
however, appeared to be so limited as to make its general use impracticable.
Following one or two cases of measles in the ward at the Model Welfare
Centre, six infants who had been exposed to infection were treated with this
serum. Only one subsequently developed measles, and in this case the
attack was extremely mild.

Whooping Cough.

The number of deaths from this disease in Shoreditch during 1931 and

preceding years were as follows : —

Year.Deaths.Year.Deaths.
19311119260
19303192529
192940192428
19285192310
192724192227