London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Walthamstow 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
This page requires JavaScript
44
posterior negative Schick result was obtained, and therefore he
could not be regarded with certainty as a completely immunised
subject. On discharge from hospital he was regarded to have been
a mild clinical case of diphtheria but without bacteriological confirmation,
i.e., he was swab negative.
There has been no death from diphtheria for four years.
Approximately 30,000 persons had been immunised in
Walthamstow up to the end of 1950.
The publicity given to the alleged association between " injections
" and poliomyelitis has undoubtedly caused some decline in
immunisation against diphtheria. The target of immunising three
quarters of all babies before their first birthday has not yet been
reached.
Immunisation is referred to more fully in Section G of the
Report in regard to Part III Area Health Services.
MEASLES AND WHOOPING COUGH
During the post-war years, the general position in regard to these childhood infections has been as follows :—
| Year | Measles | Whooping Cough |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 1,081 | 223 |
| 1948 | 639 | 565 |
| 1949 | 1,550 | 226 |
| 1950 | 308 | 502 |
If the " Winter " notifications are taken, these were :—
Year Measles Whooping Cough
1950 (last quarter) 129 347
1951 (first quarter) 1,729 480
Thus the worst epidemics for many years of both diseases coincided
during the last quarter of 1950 and more particularly the first
quarter of 1951.
The details of incidence by months and wards are as follows :—
Measles.
January 7 July 49
February— 11 August 28
March 6 September 18
April 8 October 20
May 11 November 56
June 21 December 73
St. James Street 45 Wood Street 33
High Street 26 Hale End 114
Hoe Street 34 Higham Hill 56