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
Walthamstow 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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59
Of the total notifications the following were made by the
Medical Staff of the Department:—
Smallpox, 6; Diphtheria, 186; Scarlet Fever, 31;
Chicken Pox, 266; Dysentery, 6.
Infectious Disease Clinic.—As in previous years this Clinic
was held weekly on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. The work done at the
Clinic is as follows:—
(a) Examination of all school and pre-school contacts of notified
cases of Infectious Disease and determination of date of return to
school in the former.
(b) Discovery of "missed" cases of infectious disease amongst
immediate contacts of cases.
(c) Examination of patients after discharge from the Isolation
Hospital and the reference of all doubtful heart cases to the Education
Committee's Rheumatism Clinic (see School Medical Officer's
Report). Determination of date of return to school in school
children.
(d) Diphtheria Immunisation.
This Clinic is taken personally by your Medical Officer of Health.
The following table gives particulars of the work done during 1932:—
| Number of sessions held | 52 |
| Number of patients attended | 1,798 |
| Number of attendances made | 3,059 |
| Average attendance per session | 34 |
| Number of Scarlet Fever cases discovered | 6 |
| Number of Diphtheria cases discovered | 47 |
| Number of patients given antitoxin at Clinic | 34 |
| Number of virulence tests taken in Diphtheria carriers | 15 |
| Number of children recommended for Rheumatism Clinic | 42 |
| Number of children recommended for Convalescent Home Treatment | 12 |
Of the children referred to the Rheumatism Clinic following
discharge from the Fever Hospital 24 were kept under observation
on account of irregularities of the heart. Dr. Sheldon, Physicianin-Charge
of the Clinic, states that some of the irregularities proved
to be temporary whilst others needed prolonged care, and considers
it likely that this close follow-up will lead to the prevention or
amelioration of a certain amount of subsequent rheumatism.