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
Ilford 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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(iii) Meningococcal Infection.—Two cases of this disease occurred
—a male of 57 years, an inmate of Claybury Hospital, and a female of
5 years who was admitted to Rush Green Hospital, Romford. Both
patients recovered.
One other case (which was not notified) occurred in a male child
of two years. The child was admitted to the Ilford Isolation Hospital
but died the same day. A post-mortem was performed by the Coroner
who certified the cause of death as acute meningococcal septicaemia.
(h) Pneumonia—Influenzal and Primary.—This disease was less prevalent
during 1952 than in the previous year, especially of the influenzal
type.
The incidence of influenzal and primary pneumonia throughout the year is shown by the following table.
| Month, 1952 | Acute Primary Pneumonia | Acute Influenzal Pneumonia | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital Admissions | Nursed at Home | Hospital Admissions | Nursed at Home | |||||
| Cases | Deaths | Cases | Deaths | Cases | Deaths | Cases | Deaths | |
| January | 17 | 2 | 7 | - | - | - | 6 | - |
| February | 6 | 1 | 7 | — | 3 | 1 | 5 | — |
| March | 3 | — | 5 | 1 | - | — | 3 | _ |
| April | 6 | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 |
| May | 6 | — | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| June | 2 | - | 3 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| July | 2 | — | — | - | 1 | — | 2 | — |
| August | 2 | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| September | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| October | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| November | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - |
| December | 10 | — | 25 | 1 | 2 | — | 4 | — |
| Totals | 63 | 6 | 81 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 24 | 1 |
It will be seen from the above figures that of 144 persons who suffered
from acute primary pneumonia there were 13 deaths, equal to 9 0 per cent.;
and in the case of acute influenzal pneumonia 37 persons with 4 deaths,
equal to 10 8 per cent. It will be noted that there was a sharp rise in
December, doubtless due to the very severe weather, particularly fog,
which occurred in that month.
(i) Tuberculosis.—During the year 1952 there were 158 new notifications
of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and 20 of other forms of Tuberculosis.
10 cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis were transferred to Ilford.
It is interesting to compare the figures of the number of persons added
to the list during the past 10 years, and these show that 1952 was the lowest
during that period.
Year Pulmonary Cases Non-Pulmonary Cases
1943 255 43
1944 222 33
1945 236 38
1946 247 34
1947 252 30
1948 266 26
1949 178 34