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
East Ham 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The quarterly returns to the Registrar-General were as follows:—
| Qtr. ending 31/3/53 | Qtr. ending 30/6/53 | Qtr. ending 30/9/53 | Qtr. ending 31/12/53 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 90 | 60 | 34 | 61 | 245 |
| Whooping Cough | 66 | 248 | 196 | 44 | 554 |
| +Acute Poliomyelitis | — | 1 | 6 | — | 7 |
| Measles | 726 | 210 | 20 | 4 | 960 |
| Diphtheria | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pneumonia | 41 | 15 | 4 | 10 | 70 |
| Dysentery | 256 | 25 | 4 | — | 285 |
| Acute Encephalitis | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Paratyphoid Fever | — | — | l | — | 1 |
| Erysipelas | 2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| Meningococcal Infection | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Food Poisoning | — | — | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 2 | 2 | — | 6 | 10 |
| Malaria (contracted abroad) | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
Of the 7 cases finally diagnosed as Acute Poliomyelitis 4 were paralytic and 3 non-paralytic.
| Qtr. ending 31/3/54 | Qtr. ending 30/6/54 | Qtr. ending 30/9/54 | Qtr. ending 31/12/54 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 68 | 46 | 26 | 32 | 172 |
| Whooping Cough | 37 | 24 | 22 | 34 | 117 |
| +Acute Poliomyelitis | — | 1 | 2 | — | 3 |
| Measles | 4 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 30 |
| Diphtheria | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Pneumonia | 20 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 45 |
| Dysentery | 9 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 41 |
| Erysipelas | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 14 |
| Meningococcal Infection | l | — | — | 2 | 3 |
| Food Poisoning | 3 | 2 | — | 3 | 8 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 1 | — | — | 2 | 3 |
+Of the 3 cases finally diagnosed as Acute Poliomyelitis 2 were
paralytic and one was non-paralytic.
No deaths from the seven principal zymotic diseases (Smallpox,
Whooping Cough, Measles, Diphtheria, Diarrhoea, Scarlet Fever and Enteric
Fever) were reported during the two years under review, and no cases of
smallpox were notified.
Poliomyelitis. It will be seen that for both 1953 and 1954 Poliomyelitis
was fortunately no serious problem in our borough, with 7 and 3 confirmed
cases respectively.
Measles and Whooping Cough assumed minor epidemic proportions in 1953,
and it is hoped that with the steady increase in the number of requests for
immunisation against Whooping Cough this distressing infection of young
children will soon cease to be the menace to health and development which
it now undoubtedly is.
Parents are reminded that the prophylactic injections against Whooping
Cough are advantageously combined with those for Diphtheria, but of course
with the majority of children immunisation against Whooping Cough can be
carried out successfully at any time.