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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The year 1932 was an epidemic year and the 753 cases were distributed as follows:—
| Month. | All ages. | Under 1 yr. | 1-5 yrs. | 5-15 yrs. | 15-25 yrs. | 25-45 yrs. | 45-65 yrs. | 65 & over. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | - | - | - | Not Not ifiable | - | - | - | ||
| February | - | - | - | ditto | - | - | - | ||
| March | 178 | 1 | 126 | 43 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| April | 274 | 10 | 216 | 48 | — | — | — | — | |
| May | 210 | 13 | 196 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
| June | 72 | 4 | 66 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
| July | 8 | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
| August | 3 | — | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| September | 1 | — | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| October | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| November | 1 | -_ | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| December | 2 | — | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Totals | 1932 | 75 | 37 | 619 | 95 | o | - | - | - |
| 1931 | 3 | - | - | Not Not ifiable | - | - | - | ||
The year 1932 was an epidemic year and the 753 cases were distributed as follows:—
| Month. | St. James' Street. | High Street. | Hoe Street. | Wood Street. | Hale End. | Higham Hill. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | - | - | Not No tifiable | - | - | ||
| February | dit to | ||||||
| March | 47 | 27 | 32 | 31 | 23 | 18 | |
| April | 30 | 55 | 44 | 16 | 41 | 88 | |
| May | 18 | 27 | 28 | 9 | 40 | 88 | |
| June | 7 | 12 | 12 | — | 5 | 36 | |
| July | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| August | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | |
| September | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| October | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| November | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | |
| December | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals | . 1932 | 103 | 122 | 118 | 59 | 112 | 239 |
| < 1931 | Not No tifiable | ||||||
A total of 36 cases were known to have been admitted to
Hospital, 28 of these being treated at your Council's Isolation
Hospital, where 14 beds on one side of the convalescent Diphtheria
ward were allocated between January 30th and April 15th for the
use of cases of Measlea with complications—mostly pneumonia.
Of the 753 cases only 51 or 6.7 per cent, were notified by parents,
a disappointing proportion because these are the cases in which the
family doctor has not been called in and which, therefore, require
the greater supervision. There appears considerable doubt, therefore,
if the continuation of notification is justifiable. A scheme of
voluntary notification with the provision of more adequate arrangements
for hospitalisation of the serious cases would probably be
more effective.