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
Heston and Isleworth 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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Prevention of Blindness.
In September by arrangement with Middlesex County Council in connexion with Circular
1621 on Prevention of Blindness a scheme was started whereby any elementary or secondary
school child suffering from a defect of vision requiring continued supervision may continue to
attend the School Refraction Clinic after leaving school.
Heston Airport.
The Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations, 1938, came into force on 1st July, 1938, and
the defined duties were undertaken by the Council. Arrangements were made for a medical
officer to be available at any time; for a sanitary inspector to be available as required; for the
removal, isolation and treatment of cases of infectious disease; for the disinfection of aircraft;
laboratory facilties, etc., The medical officers were appointed Medical Inspectors of Aliens.
During 1938 the medical officers paid 20 visits to the Airport. Two aliens were
examined and 5 persons were placed under surveillance as having come from " infected " areas.
This work, which is steadily increasing with development of the airport, has been greatly
facilitated by the co-operation of the Airport Authority, the Immigration Officers and the Customs
Officers.
Disinfection.
Two men are employed for carrying out disinfection, drain testing, etc. Disinfection of
rooms is carried out in connexion with tuberculosis and certain infectious diseases. During
1938, 523 rooms were disinfected by means of sulphur or formalin. Bedding is removed to the
South Middlesex Fever Hospital for disinfection by steam.
Hospital accommodation for cases of infectious disease is provided at the South Middlesex Fever Hospital. Other Hospitals are used for certain infectious diseases. The following table shows the hospitals where cases of infectious disease were treated during 1938:—
| Disease. | South Middlesex Fever Hospital. | West Middlesex County Hospital. | Queen Charlotte's Hospital. | St. Margarets St. L.C.C. Thomas's Hospital. Hospital. | Other Hospitals. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 276 | 3 | |||
| Diphtheria | 37 | 3 | |||
| Diphtheria Carriers | 8 | ||||
| Typhoid Fever, etc. | 3 | 1 | |||
| Dysentery | 1 | 1 | |||
| Erysipelas | 7 | 18 | |||
| Pneumonia | 1 | 140 | 1 | ||
| Cerebro-Spinal Fever | 1 | 7 | |||
| Epidemic Encephalitis | 1 | ||||
| Poliomyelitis | 3 | ||||
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum | 7 | 1 | |||
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 59 | 3 | 1 | ||
| German Measles | 4 | ||||
| Epidemic Parotitis | 1 | ||||
| Whooping Cough | 3 | ||||
| Measles | 15 |
The following table shows the final diagnosis in 28 caseS which were admitted to the South Middlesex Fever Hospital as suffering from infectious diseases.
| 7 Haemolytic Streptococcal Tonsillitis. | 1 Bronchitis. |
| 3 Tonsillitis (non-haemolytic mixed infections). | 1 Paranasal Sinus Suppuration. |
| 1 Acute Cellulitis of face and Haemolytic Streptococcal Septicaemia. | |
| 3 Adventitious Erythema. | |
| 1 Otitis Media. | 1 Intestinal Carcinoma. |
| 1 Tonsillo-Pharyngitis. | 1 Acute Ulcerative Colitis. |
| 1 Acute Ulcerative Tonsillitis. | 1 Pediculosis Capitis. |
| 1 Peritonsillar Abscess. | 1 Rheumatic Carditis. |
| 1 Acute Streptococcal Laryngitis and Broncho-Pneumonia. | 1 Furunculosis. |
| 1 Acute Ascending Paralysis (Landry). | |
| 1 Lobar Pneumonia. |