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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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54
1936, she contracted severe diphtheria. After some weeks of
anxiety she was transferred to a special heart hospital and now
has a permanently damaged heart.
Scarlet Fever Immunisation and Testing.—Dick testing
and immunisation of susceptibles were carried out at Brookfield
Orthopaedic Hospital, 6 cases being completed, and yielding
negative posterior Dick tests.
The full immunising course consists of five doses, and in several
cases the course had to be discontinued after the third injection
owing to rather troublesome reactions.
Of 57 Dick tests, 36 were negative and 21 positive. Immunisation
was begun in 21 cases, but 15 were discharged from hospital
before completion.
MUNICIPAL LABORATORY.
The following numbers of diphtheria swabs were examined during 1936:—
| Swabs | Negative | Positive | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Practitioners | 847 | 62 | 909 |
| Health Department | 340 | 32 | 372 |
| School Medical Department | 440 | 14 | 454 |
| Totals | 1,627 | 108 | 1,735 |
The total number of diphtheria specimens examined in 1935
was 2,223.
Direct examinations were done on 772 diphtheria specimens,
and 9 were positive; 24 were positive on culture, although negative
on direct examination.
In addition, 159 specimens of urine were examined, as compared
with 198 in 1935.
A total of 2,887 tubes of culture media were made by Mr. West,
and of these, 1,116 were sent to the Sanatorium.
The Essex County Council also provides facilities for examination
of pathological specimens, and the County Medical Officer
states that 1,465 specimens were examined for local practitioners
during 1936 as follows:—