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

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Chingford 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chingford]

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Non-notifiable Infectious Diseases
The figures given below were obtained from the returns
received from Head Teachers of schools in the district, and give
some indication of the incidence of these diseases during the year.
Measles 365 cases.
Chickenpox 148 cases.
Whooping Cough 14 cases
Mumps 4 cases.
Measles
The disease was epidemic in the district during the first threefour
months of 1938, but appears to have been mild in type, for one
death only was reported.
Although not a notifiable disease, some idea of its prevalence
can be gained from the returns received from Head Teachers,
which showed that 365 children were absent from school on account
of Measles during the first four months of the year.
A considerable quantity of blood was collected from local adult
donors who were either recovering from an attack of measles or had
had the disease in childhood, and this was sent to the Wellcome
Research Laboratories for the preparation of measles serum, of
which the following quantity was issued to practitioners and
hospitals.
Convalescent serum 225 cc.
Adult serum 20 cc.
A small amount of Lederle's immune globulin was also used.
Particulars of the results obtained with these sera were forthcoming
from doctors in but a small proportion of the total number
of contacts which must have received treatment and these are given
below.
Convalescent serum
Complete protection 11 cases.
Mild or attenuated attack 6 cases.
Lederle's immune globulin (in dose of 2 cc.).
Mild attack 1 case.
Disease uninfluenced 1 case.
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