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 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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NUMBER AND TRADES OF OUTWORKERS NOTIFIED DURING 1954
| Wearing apparel, making of | 300 | Boxes | 11 |
| Brush making | 7 | ||
| Curtains and furniture hangings | 7 | Feather sorting | 1 |
| File making | 1 | Cosaques, Christmas crackers, Christmas stockings, etc. | 42 |
| Umbrellas, etc. | 1 | ||
| Artificial flowers | 5 | ||
| Paper bags | 3 | Lampshades | 1 |
| Total | 379 | ||
F.—PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER,
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
General.—The following tables show the age and ward
incidence of the various infectious diseases which are referred to
in later pages of the report.
The total of notified cases during 1954 was much smaller
than during the previous year. There were more cases of measles
than in 1953, and there were two epidemic years in succession.
Again there was no case of confirmed diphtheria. Cases of pneumonia
were fewer but since there is no apparent usefulness in the
notification of this disease, notifications were probably not complete.
There was no notified case of poliomyelitis, a most unexpected
experience.
There was an increase in the incidence of bacillary dysentery.
This is a disease which can only be combated by the teaching and
practice of strict personal hygiene, i.e., by the washing of hands
after using the toilet.
Pulmonary tuberculosis notifications after remaining comparatively
steady over the previous three years at 104 cases per annum,
showed a marked reduction to 60.