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
Richmond upon Thames 1972
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond upon Thames]
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The number of notifications received during the year compared with 1971 may be summarised as follows:—
| Disease. | 1972 | 1971 |
|---|---|---|
| Dysentery | 9 | 11 |
| Encephalitis (Acute) | 2 | 1 |
| Food Poisoning | 5 | 11 |
| Infective Jaundice | 50 | 30 |
| Malaria | 4 | 2 |
| Measles | 161 | 306 |
| Meningitis (Acute) | 12 | 8 |
| Scarlet Fever | 28 | 26 |
| Whooping Cough | 5 | 24 |
| Paratyphoid | 1 | 1 |
| Typhoid | 2 | 2 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 31 | 26 |
| Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 4 | 7 |
The table on page 15 gives the number of cases notified under age groups.
Whooping Cough.
There was a significant drop in the number of cases notified, 5 in 1972 as compared
with 24 in 1971. Of the 5 cases, all are recorded as having been immunised and in one
case a booster dose had been given.
Measles.
As can be seen from the histogram on page 12 the incidence of this disease has again
been reduced since the programme of immunisation was commenced in the autumn of
1966.
Nevertheless 161 cases were notified during the year and we should continue to
encourage parents to have their children immunised in an effort to reduce the number
of cases still further.
The number of cases notified in previous years were:—
| 1960 | 57 | 1966 | 888 |
| 1961 | 2422 | 1967 | 1400 |
| 1962 | 112 | 1968 | 262 |
| 1963 | 1885 | 1969 | 262 |
| 1964 | 234 | 1970 | 380 |
| 1965 | 1992 | 1971 | 306 |
The distribution of cases during each quarter of the year 1972 was as follows :
| M. | F. | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st January— 31st March | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 1st April—30th June | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| 1st July—30th September | 44 | 46 | 90 |
| 1st October— 31st December | 22 | 27 | 49 |
| Total | 78 | 83 | 161 |