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 monthly figures were as follows;-
| Sore Throat. | Measles | Whooping Cough. | Mumps. | Chicken Pox. | Ringworm and Scabies. | Impetigo. Sores, etc. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | - | 29 | 1 | 78 | 28 | - | 11 |
| February | — | 211 | 4 | 54 | 16 | 2 | 5 |
| March | 6 | 399 | 6 | 63 | 21 | 1 | 4 |
| April | 5 | 363 | 49 | 40 | 59 | 1 | 4 |
| May | 5 | 452 | 47 | 39 | 41 | 3 | 16 |
| June | 5 | 61 | 50 | 10 | 141 | — | 12 |
| July | 7 | 2 | 38 | 2 | 40 | 1 | 1 |
| August | 2 | 2 | 24 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 |
| September | 8 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| October | — | 3 | 13 | 45 | 6 | — | 4 |
| November | 18 | 1 | 40 | 49 | 28 | — | 33 |
| December | 3 | — | 1 | 32 | 2 | — | 3 |
| Totals 1932 | 59 | 1525 | 282 | 419 | 387 | 9 | 105 |
| ,, 1931 | 70 | 37 | 520 | 279 | 676 | 13 | 110 |
Comparing the above incidence with that of 1931, the most
noticeable features are the large increases in the number of cases
of Measles, and the decreases in the number of cases of Whooping
Cough and Chicken Pox.
The summary of Head Teachers' weekly returns in Schools is
given in a separate Table, from which the following features will
be noticed:—
(a) The biennial Measles epidemic affecting every Infants'
Department.
(b) The high incidence of Chicken Pox at Chapel End Infants.
(c) The high incidence of Scarlet Fever at Coppermill Lane Infants'
Department and Maynard Road Infants' Department.
(d) The high incidence of Diphtheria at Chapel End Junior School
and Gamuel Road Infants' School.
The minor epidemics at the four schools specified under (c) and
(d) necessitated a considerable amount of detailed daily supervision
by your School Medical Officer.