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
Wimbledon 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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Diphtheria.
Thirty two cases were admitted to the hospital as diphtheria and
twenty two of these came from the Wimbledon area.
The following table shows the final diagnosis in regard to these twenty two Wimbledon cases: —
| Diphtheria Carriers | 2 |
| Clinical Diphtheria | 5 |
| Acute Tonsillitis | 9 |
| Measles | 2 |
| Other conditions | 4 |
The two diphtheria carriers and one very mild case of diphtheria
occurred in children under the age of 15 years. These three
children had all been previously immunised. They were attending a
school outside the district in which an outbreak of diphtheria occurred.
The remaining four Wimbledon cases of diphtheria under treatment
in the hospital were all adults.
There were no cases of laryngeal diphtheria. No deaths from
diphtheria occurred in the hospital during the year.
Cerebro-Spinal Fever.
Of the twelve cases admitted as cerebro-spinal fever, eleven
were from the Wimbledon area. In only 4 cases was the diagnosis
confirmed.
Puerperal Pyrexia.
Seven of the ten notified cases of puerperal pyrexia were removed
to the Infectious Diseases Hospital. In four of these seven
cases the diagnosis of puerperal sepsis was confirmed. Of the remaining
three cases admitted to the hospital one was found to be
suffering from a B. coli infection and another from acute mastitis.
The cause of the pyrexia in the seventh case was found not to be
puerperal infection.
A Consulting Obstetrician was called in to see one of the patients.
One of the patients required and was given a blood transfusion.
All the patients made complete recoveries.
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