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 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]
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The following table shows the incidence of infectious disease in the Borough during 1971:-
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acute Encephalitis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Acute Meningitis | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | |
| Anthrax | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Cholera | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Diphtheria | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dysentery | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Food Poisoning | - | 2 | - | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 |
| Infective Jaundice | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 5 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | |
| Leprosy | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Leptospirosis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Malaria | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Measles | 8 | 133 | 134 | 6 | 3 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 291 |
| Opthalmia Neonatorum | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Paratyphoid Fever | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Plague | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Poliomyelitis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Relapsing Fever | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Scarlet Fever | - | 2 | 9 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 |
| Smallpox | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tetanus | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tuberculosis(Pulmonary) | - | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 46 |
| Tuberculosis (Other) | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 9 |
| Tuberculosis (Men.) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Typhoid Fever | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Typhus | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Whooping Cough | 2 | 10 | 12 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 25 |
| Yellow Fever | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| TOTAL | 11 | 150 | 156 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 417 |
Measles
Only 291 cases of measles were notified in 1971. This compares with
1,080 the previous year. This is further evidence in support of the view,
which was expressed last year that the periodicity exhibited by the measles
virus has been altered by the vaccination programme. It is to be hoped
that measles will be eradicated by vaccination but, although there was
some improvement in the numbers of children presented for protection,
far too many parents still think of measles as a harmless childhood
infection whereas it is a disease which frequently leaves the patient with
serious lifelong disabilities and can even cause death.
Infective Jaundice
Only 15 cases were notified this year compared with 22 and 25 in
1969 and 1970 respectively. This reduction is probably accounted for by
either a natural variation in the infectivity of the disease or a failure to
notify every case. Although this is the third full year during which the
disease has been notifiable, it is too soon for conlusions to be drawn.
However, although there still seems to be a fairly even spread of cases
throughout the whole age and sex range, there was a slight predominence
amongst young adults, noticeable this year.