London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Walthamstow 1934

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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134 removals from the Register were made up as follows:—

Deaths.Removals.
Pulmonary.Non-Pulmonary.Pulmonary.Non-Pulmonary.
M.F.M.F.M.F.M.F.
4423542017129
6793721
7658
134

The discrepancy between the number of deaths recorded here
and the number of registered deaths during the calendar year is
accounted for by transferable deaths and by oases not notified
prior to death.
Treatment of Tuberculosis.

Treatment is given under the Essex County Council's Scheme. The admissions to Hospital during 1934, were:—

Pulmonary.Non-Pulmonary.Total.
M.F.M.F.
Adults784232125
Children352313

No action was necessary under the Public Health (Prevention
of Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925, or Section 62 of the
Public Health Act, 1925.
An Outbreak of Somnambulistic Fits.— In the middle of
July a number of boys at a residential industrial school in the town
showed symptoms of an epileptiform type of illness. In all 18 boys
were removed to Hospital and sporadic cases arose up till about
October. The first child affected appears to have had a definite
epileptie attack. In the early stages, in the absence of a definite
diagnosis, the possibility of botulism was considered, but this was
soon removed by the fact that faecal swabs gave negative results.
Neurological and Psychological consultants were called in by
the Home Office and the School Authorities. It was considered that
the first cases showed purposely simulated fits followed by a general
outbreak of somnambulistic fits. The state of apprehension affected
a group of boys peculiarly susceptible to the emotional influences
surrounding them, with the result that the resulting individual
reactions were somnambulistic manifestations of the state they
feared.