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 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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28
SECTION F.— PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL
OVER, INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES.
Notifications of Infectious Disease.
During the year there were 1,267 cases of infectious disease notified,
as compared with 649 cases during 1952.
Poliomyelitis.
Eleven cases of poliomyelitis occurred during the year. Seven of
these were paralytic cases and four were non-paralytic. There was one
death.
In addition seven other patients were admitted to hospital as
suspected cases. In these the diagnosis of poliomyelitis was not confirmed.
Paratyphoid fever.
One case of paratyphoid fever was notified.
Food Poisoning.
The following table gives details of food poisoning cases during the year.
| (a) | Total number of outbreaks | 1 |
| (b) | Total number of single cases | 3 |
| (c) | Total number of cases | 6 |
| (d) | Total number of deaths | — |
(e) Organisms responsible—
In the outbreak affecting three patients and in a single
case the organism responsible was salmonella typhimurium.
The organisms responsible in the other two cases were
not identified.
(/) Foods involved— unknown.
The outbreak affected three patients from one family. One of these
was a person whose occupation was concerned with food handling. A
notice was served on him under the Public Health (Infectious Diseases)
Regulations, 1953, prohibiting him from carrying out his employment
whilst a carrier of a salmonella organism. Compensation was paid for
loss of earnings by the Council.
Shortly afterwards he was found to have become free from infection
and then resumed his occupation.
Dysentery.
There were nineteen cases of Sonne dysentery notified during the
year.