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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 1969
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]
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| 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 | — | 24 | 31 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 58 |
| Diphtheria | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dysentery | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 10 |
| Meningococcal Infection | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Poliomyelitis, Paralytic | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Poliomyelitis, Non | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Encephalitis Infective | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Measles | 8 | 178 | 104 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 302 |
| Whooping Cough | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 |
| Paratyphoid Fever | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Typhoid Fever | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Food Poisoning | — | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | ] | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 13 | |
| Malaria | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Infective Jaundice | — | — | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 22 |
It is pleasing to be able to report that 1969 was a year in which the
Borough was free from the more serious infections. Moreover it is also
gratifying to print the above table which records that the total number
of all types of infectious disease notified during 1969 was less than at any
time previously. The total for the year was 416 which compares favourably
with the "peak"year during the "sixties"of 3,370 in 1961. The reduction
this year is partly attributable to two factors: firstly, vaccination has
probably affected the epidemiology of meales; and secondly, some
diseases have been removed from the list of those requiring notification.
Measles
Since measles notification commenced in 1940 there have been only
two years when there have been fewer cases notified than in 1969. Moreover
it is not unreasonable to say that these were "freak" years. Last
year's total of 302 cases notified is all the more remarkable in that the
"odd years" are those which normally bring biennial epidemics, and
consequently somewhere between an additional 1,500 to 2,600 cases could
have been expected during the year. It would be satisfying to think that the
measles vaccination prevented the expected epidemic, but it is equally
probable that it may have merely affected the periodicity exhibited by the
virus.
Infective Jaundice
This was the first complete year during which infective jaundice was
a notifiable disease, and in due course notification should yield valuable
information regarding the age and sex incidence of infection together with
any other pattern which the disease may exhibit.