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
Kingston upon Thames 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]
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38
Whooping Cough.
This is one of the most serious of childhood illnesses
and protection against it has been offered to all children for
three full years now This is usually done in a combined
process in conjunction with diphtheria immunisation, and
practically 100% of the children being immunised for the first
time receive a "combined" material which affords protection
against both these diseases
During 1955 only 17 cases of whooping cough were notified
and this is the lowest total ever recorded in Kingston. In
1954 21 cases were notified, in 1953 126 cases in 1952 102
cases and in 1951 222 cases It is interesting to note that
of the cases occurring in 1955 only if. are recorded as having
been immunised against whooping cough, and the remaining 13
were not.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum
For the eighth successive year no cases of ophthalmia
neonatorum have been notified
Puerperal Pyrexia,
The puerperal pyrexia regulations 1951 define this
illness as a febrile condition occurring in a woman in whan
a temperature of 100.4c or more has occurred within fourteen
days after childbirth or miscarriage. During 1955 72 cases
were notified 17 of which referred to Kingston residents and
69 of which were notified from Kingston Hospital. These
figures compared with 96, 27 and 96 respectively for 1954c
An analysis for the years back to 1951 is shown below.
The maternity block at Kingston hospital serves not only Kingston but a large surrounding area embracing a papulation of some 285,000 persons. During 1955 1,686 deliveries took place in the hospital.
| Cases | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a)Total notified | 41 | 84 | 80 | 96 | 72 |
| (b) Number included in (a) of | |||||
| (i) Kingston residents | 14 | 23 | 15 | 27 | 17 |
| (ii) Extra district residents. | 27 | 61 | 65 | 69 | 55 69 |
| (c) Number included in (a) notified from Kingston hospital | 40 | 82 | 78 | 96 | |
| (d) Number included in (a) | |||||
| notified by private doctors | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| (e) Number of cases included in | |||||
| (d) removed to hospital other than those included in (c) | – | – | – | – | – |
Food Poisoning.
Only 1 case of food poisoning was notified during 1955.
This was in respect of a man aged 44 who was acutely ill at
the time. Faeces specimens were positive for salmonella
typhi-murium Upon immediate investigation it was found
that an outbreak had occurred among the patient0 work
colleagues in a factorys and that the works canteen was
considered to be the source of the food causing illness.
factory in question is not in Kingston and the outbreak
was dealt with by the Public Health Department concerned.