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

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Walthamstow 1937

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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The following table gives particulars :—

NoWardAgeDate of OnsetDiagnosis
1Hale End423137Para-typhoid B
2Higham Hill19? 7137, ,
3High Street3314237, ,
4Hoe Street1314237, ,
5Hale End16? 3437, ,
6Hale End31? 13437, ,
7Hale End13? 10437, ,
8Hale End6? 13437, ,
9High Street3022537, ,
10High Street1917737, ,
11High Street3517737"

All the cases were treated in Hospital
BACILLARY DYSENTERY
(a) First Series—Outbreak at Nursery School
On June 23rd attention was called to the fact that the whole
of one family with children attending the Nursery School had
suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting When visited, the parents
and five children were found to l>e more or less convalescent The
first case was stated to be J W, aged 2 years, who with her sister,
K W, attended the Nursery School A tentative diagnosis of
bacillary dysentery was made Rectal swabs were taken and
despatched for examination
The following morning a message was received from the Head
Teacher of the Nursery School reporting that there had been many
cases of diarrhoea amongst the children On visiting, it was found
that some 1 4 children were stated to have, or to have had, diarrhoea
Rectal swabs were taken from these children, and after an
enquiry into the whole circumstances at the school it appeared that
the outbreak was probably due to bacillary dysentery The outbreak
did not appear to be due in any way to food eaten at the
school, but rather to a case-to-case infection, probablv originating
with J W
After consultation with the Director of Education it was decided
to close the school forthwith in order to try to limit the spread of
infection Closure was effected under Viticles 22 and 23 of the
Code of Regulations for Public Elementary Schools, 1926