London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Southall 1962

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall]

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clamour for mass vaccination which was not encouraged, first attention having to be given
to persons likely to have been at first or second contact with any cases of the disease.
To help general practitioners a daily transport service of vaccine from the laboratory was
managed from the Public Health Department, and as this Borough was in rather a special
position because of its nearness to London Airport and its considerable immigrant population,
some of whom were from Karachi whence the infection was spreading, it was reasonable
to try to obtain a highly vaccinated population at a time when vaccination was freely
acceptable by the citizens. In addition some special facilities were offered at County Clinics
for vaccination.
International certificates of smallpox vaccination for the use of travellers abroad
require to be authenticated in the Public Health Deparment and towards summer a great
increase in the demand for this service was experienced, particularly as many European
countries demanded this proof of vaccination before permitting entry. Sixty-five persons
were notified between January and April as being contacts of smallpox cases; these were
traced and, if remaining in the Borough, checked for or given vaccination and kept under
surveillance, while the addresses of those who had passed on to other areas were obtained
and other Medical Officers of Health informed. No case of smallpox developed in Southall.
Typhoid Fever
A case of this disease was discovered in a man, in hospital for another reason. He was
treated and discharged from hospital as a chronic carrier, probably of long standing, but not
previously discovered. He moved at the end of the year to another district.
Scarlet Fever (Scarlatina)
The number of notifications received during the year was 19 as compared with 27
in 1961 and 42 in 1960. There were no secondary cases.
Diphtheria
No cases of diphtheria were notified to the Department.

The following information supplied by the Area Medical Officer shows the number of children immunised against diphtheria during the year.

Number of Children who completed a full course of Primary Immunisation in Southall during the yearNumber of Children who were given Secondary or Reinforcing Injection during the year (i.e. having in a previous year received a complete full course)
Ages at Date of Final Injection
Under 11-45-14Total
29521710522327

There was a heavy drop in the figures for immunisation against Diphtheria during the
year—from 984 in 1961 to 522 in 1962. The absence of headline news concerning cases of
diphtheria seems to let the public forget how swift and deadly this disease can be and that a
lifetime's regret is a heavy price to pay for indolence with regard to obtaining protection.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum
No cases of ophthalmia neonatorum were notified during the year.
Tuberculosis
Notifications
Pulmonary
The number of notifications received during the year was 59.
14