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
Southall 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall]
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PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS
AND OTHER DISEASES
There was a rise in the total number of notifications of infectious diseases during 1959.
Measles accounted for most of the increase, but there was also a sharp rise in the incidence
of scarlet fever, a disease which has been thought to be nearly conquered. Notifications
of pneumonia were down.
Dysentery and food poisoning, though not extensive, were slightly increased.
No cases of diphtheria were notified, and for the first time since the disease became
notifiable, no cases of poliomyelitis.
Monthly Bulletins of Incidence of Infectious Disease
These bulletins were circulated monthly to all general practitioners in the Borough,
and, in addition to information with regard to infectious diseases occurring during the
previous month, any topical matter, or incident of mutual interest to general practitioners
and the Public Health Service, was also included.
Measles incidence showed an increase during the year 1959. There were no deaths from measles. The following table shows the trend of notifications during the past ten years.
| Year | No. of Cases | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 701 | |
| 1951 | 1,129 | |
| 1952 | 528 | |
| 1953 | 931 | 1 |
| 1954 | 41 | |
| 1955 | 1,329 | |
| 1956 | 61 | |
| 1957 | 674 | 1 |
| 1958 | 476 | |
| 1959 | 674 |
No notifications of anterior poliomyelitis were received in 1959.
Vaccination against poliomyelitis, which is organised by Middlesex County Health Department, continued throughout 1959, and details are as follows.
| Receiving | Persons born 1933-1942 | Children born 1943-59 | Expectant Mothers | G.Ps and families | Ambulance Personnel | Hospital Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two injections during year Third injections during year (already recorded as having two injections) | 2,711 | 2,280 | 304 | 10 | 27 | 27 |
| 826 | 5,158 | 245 | 8 | 11 | 16 |