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
Harrow 1966
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]
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90
Infectious and Other Diseases
Prevalence of Notifiable Infectious Diseases
(Other than Tuberculosis)
TABLE I
| Disease | Und. 1 yr. | 1-4 yrs. | 5-9 yrs. | 10-14 yrs. | 15-19 yrs. | 20-24 yrs. | 25-34 yrs. | 35-44 yrs. | 45-54 yrs. | 55-64 yrs. | 65 + yrs. | Unknown | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | - | 7 | 32 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 45 |
| Pneumonia Primary | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 | 2 | 5 | - | 13 |
| Pneumonia Influenzal | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 4 | - | 10 |
| Diphtheria | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dysentery | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 9 |
| Erysipelas | - | - | - | - | -- | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | - | 4 |
| Meningococcal Infection | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Poliomyelitis, Paralytic | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Poliomyelitis, Non ,, | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Encephalitis Infective | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Measles | 27 | 402 | 237 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 19 | 716 |
| Whooping Cough | 3 | 13 | 9 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 28 |
| Paratyphoid Fever | - | - | - | 9 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| Typhoid Fever | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Food Poisoning | - | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - | 4 | - | 13 |
| Malaria | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Although health education and immunisation are important
preventative agents for many infections, with certain diseases they are the
essential bulwarks preventing the return of endemic conditions.
DIPHTHERIA
The last two cases of diphtheria to be reported in the Borough occurred
during the three years 1947-1949. Consequently we are entering a period
where the younger parents have neither seen nor heard of a case of
diphtheria and it will become increasingly difficult to maintain the high
levels of immunisation which are essential to protect the community. The
number of small outbreaks of recent years have only served to indicate
that constant vigilance alone will prevent the return of this killing disease.
POLIOMYELITIS
For the last five years there have been no cases of Poliomyelitis
notified in the Borough. In the previous four year period, 1958-1961,
there were eight cases whilst in the quadrennium immediately preceeding this
there were 92 cases. I feel that this satisfactory trend must be attributed
to the successful immunisation programme which commenced in 1956.
Once again, the return of this crippling disease will only be prevented
whilst the majority of the population are protected.