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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From the table below it will be seen that the first nine years of childhood are the prevalent period for this disease:—
| M. | F. | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 1 year | 9 | 12 | 21 |
| 2 years | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| 3 years | 6 | 11 | 17 |
| 4 years | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| 5—9 years | 32 | 39 | 71 |
| 10—14 years | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| 15— 24 years | – | 1 | 1 |
| 25 + | – | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 78 | 83 | 161 |
Vaccination and Immunisation (see page 28).
Dysentery.
All nine cases notified were of bacillary dysentry. It was not found necessary to
exclude any contacts from their normal employment.
Food Poisoning.
There was one family outbreak recorded during the year involving a mother and
newly born baby both transferred from West Middlesex Hospital to the Infectious
Diseases Unit of the South Middlesex Hospital six days after birth. About three weeks
before the baby was born the mother and her husband had gastroenteritis but both
responded to symptomatic treatment. At the time of her admission to West Middlesex
Hospital, she had no diarrhoea or vomiting.
Authority was given for the mother and baby to be discharged home, the baby as
a confirmed Salmonella carrier (Salmonella Thompson Phage type 4) with arrangements
made for stool specimens to be examined until negative results received.
Figures for the previous ten years are as follows:—
| 1962 | 14 | 1967 | 3 |
| 1963 | 6 | 1968 | 30 |
| 1964 | 8 | 1969 | 22 |
| 1965 | 6 | 1970 | 11 |
| 1966 | — | 1971 | 11 |
Meningitis.
Twelve cases were notified during the year, all of whom were admitted to hospital.
The types notified were viral (10) and meningococcal septicaemia (2).
Infective Jaundice.
The arrangements made with the clinical research team at the West and South
Middlesex Hospitals to assist in the pilot survey of the epidemiological aspects of the
disease continued throughout the year.
There was an increase in the number of cases notified, 50 in 1972 as compared with
30 in 1971, and 14 cases were admitted to hospital.
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