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
Twickenham 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Twickenham]
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INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
(a) Notifiable Infectious Diseases.
Diphtheria.
There were 70 cases of diphtheria notified as compared with 116 for the
previous year. 60 cases were admitted to hospital. The number of deaths
recorded was five, giving a death rate of 0.05 per 1,000 of the population.
The figure for England and Wales was 0.07.
Supply of anti-toxin. All medical practitioners practising ift the borough
may at any time obtain a supply of diphtheria anti-toxin from the fire stations
at Twickenham or Teddington, free of charg?.
Diphtheria immunisation. The following is a record of the work carried out at the clinics during the year
| New-Cases | Ages. | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 to 15 | 15 to 20 | 20 to 25 | over 25 | |
| 656 | 130 | 48 | 51 | 44 | 71 | 70 | 46 | 36 | 39 | 34 | 30 | 48 | 2 | - | 7 |
1st Schick Test before inoculation:—
Number 18
Susceptible 14
Immune 3
Failed to attend 1
Number receiving first completed course
of injections during year 838
2nd Schick Test of those who had completed first course of injections:—
Number 260
Protected 1,122
Susceptible 24
Failed to attend 114
All those found to be incompletely protected after the second Post
Schick were re-inoculated.
The diphtheria prophylactics used were T.A.M., T.A.F., and A.P.T.
Scarlet Fever.
There were 274 cases of scarlet fever notified during the year as compared
with 148 for 1937.
There was a sharp rise in the number of cases notified in March. During
the following quarter the notifications continued to be higher than usual, but
thereafter fell. This is rather curious, for the study of epidemiology has
shown that, in so far as the seasonal incidence of diseases is concerned,
scarlet fever increases in this country through the summer to a maximum
in October and November. There is then a fall in incidence to a minimum in
March or April. The cases were, however, of a mild character, and several
were not recognised as scarlet fever until other cases occurred among
contacts.
One death was recorded from this disease. This gives a death rate of
0.01 per 1,1)00 of the population—the same as that for England and Wales.
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