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 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
This page requires JavaScript
Dr. Frank Marsh, Pathologist in charge of the Laboratory at Epping, has kindly supplied the following information in regard to work done for Walthamstow :—
| Specimens | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May | June | July | Aug. Sept. | Oct.. | Nov. | Dec. | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhesus, Group and Kahn | 10 | 3 | 2 | 6 | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 30 |
| Haemoglobin | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | 3 |
| Nose and throat swabs | 13 | 11 | 7 | 9 | - | 24 | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | 80 |
| Faeces | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Urine | — | — | — | — | - | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Totals | 24 | 14 | 9 | 15 | — | 27 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | - | 116 |
Frequent meetings took place with Dr. Marsh to consider and
discuss the various epidemiological problems which arose during
the year.
Arrangements continued with the Public Health Laboratory
Service at Colindale and transport is provided when necessary
from Mondays to Fridays, but not at weekends when any urgent
examinations are carried out at the Connaught Hospital Laboratory
through the courtesy of Dr. H. Caplin, Consultant Pathologist.
The number of specimens examined at the Colindale laboratories during the year were as follows:—
| Specimen | Jan, | Feb. | Mar. | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faeces and rectal swabs | 38 | 37 | 32 | 15 | 14 | 22 | 82 | 64 | 25 | 28 | 35 | 16 | 408 |
| Nose and throat swabs | 38 | 9 | 17 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 83 | 416* | 625 |
| Urine | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ___ | 1 | 3 |
| Food | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | — | 6 | 1 | 22 |
| Mis' cellaneous | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | — | 3 | — | 17 |
| Totals | 77 | 47 | 53 | 35 | 34 | 38 | 92 | 68 | 40 | 30 | 127 | 434 | 1075 |
*The large number of nose and throat swabs taken during
November and especially during December were in respect of the
deaths of two children attending Copper Mill School.
4. Ambulance Facilities.
These are available from a local depot in Walthamstow which
is administered centrally from Chelmsford, via the Control Centre
at Ilford.
5. Treatment of Scabies and Verminous Conditions.
The arrangement, detailed in the report for 1953, with the
Hackney Borough Council continued, and twenty-three cases were
referred there during 1957 receiving twenty-nine treatments at a
total cost of £11 12s. 6d.