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 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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a Junior Mixed School, most of them suffering from sickness. All
the affected children had partaken of a school meal and the usual
samples were submitted for examination. Three of the adult helpers
had taken the first course only and were unaffected, and another
had both courses and was sick during the night. Investigations
were carried out at the central kitchen with completely negative
results.
All the children were soon back at school and during the
subsequent week there were four further cases and during the next
week another three cases.
All the pathological specimens taken were negative and the
"outbreak" was regarded more in the nature of winter vomiting
than of food infection.
MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION
Three cases were notified, the particulars being as follows:—
| Sex | Age | Ward | Hospital | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | M. | 1.2/12 yrs. | Hale End | Yes | Recovered |
| 2. | F. | 9 yrs. | Hale End | No | Died, P.M. |
| 3. | F. | 5/12 yrs. | St. James St. | Yes | Recovered |
MALARIA
Two cases were notified during the year. Both were ex'Servicemen
who had suffered from previous attacks.
ACUTE ANTERIOR POLIOMYELITIS AND
POLIOENCEPHALITIS
Nineteen cases were notified during 1953, but of these only
eight were confirmed. Three were young adults aged 24, 26 and
27 years, and five were children, three being under 5 years of age
and two being aged 5 and 7 years.
The first five cases were of bulbar paralysis, one aged 27 years
being fatal. Two were paralytic and one non-paralytic.
All Wards except High Street Ward were affected and a few
of the cases occurred in the Wood Street and Hale End Wards.
There was no apparent contact infection.
The first case occurred in February, then three bulbar cases
followed at the end of July and two more at the beginning of
August, i.e., a total of five bulbar cases in nineteen days.