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

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Hillingdon 1971

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]

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INFECTIVE JAUNDICE
All notified cases of infective jaundice continued to be visited. During the year, the details
concerning nine cases were notified to the Blood Transfusion Centre because of family contacts
who were on the list of blood donors.
MALARIA
During the year, three cases of malaria occurred amongst residents in the Borough. The
patients were all members of the same family and the disease had been contracted naturally abroad.
The family consisted of mother and father and a son aged 3 years 9 months, all of whom developed
an "influenza" type illness ten to twelve days following return to this country. None of the patients
was reported to have been taking suppressive drugs during the preceding two years and blood
investigation showed Falciparium Malarial infestation. All three persons were admitted to the
Hospital for Tropical Diseases for treatment.
TETANUS
One case of tetanus was notified during 1971. This was in a 29 year old man who had a
history of having lacerated his knee while playing football some ten days before the onset of
symptoms. The treatment received for his knee injury had not included the administration of
tetanus toxoid or antiserum although the patient's immunisation history indicated that he had
received a primary course of tetanus toxoid previously. The patient was acutely ill for approximately
two weeks but eventually made a satisfactory recovery.
TUBERCULOSIS
A total of 72 cases of tuberculosis affecting Hillingdon residents came to the attention of
the department during 1971—an increase of 17 over each of the two preceding years. Eighteen
other cases of tuberculosis diagnosed outside the Borough in people who moved into this area
during the year were also notified to this Authority making a total of ninety cases to be followed up
for the first time during the year.
The incidence of tuberculosis in this country has decreased dramatically over the past twentyfive
years, particularly in young adults among whom the highest notification rates used to occur.
There has been an apparent slowing-down in the rate of decline in notifications of tuberculosis
in young adults which some have suggested is associated with the reported high notification
rates in young immigrants. From the age distribution of cases shown in the table on page 15,
and from the nationality distribution shown below, it would not appear that infected young
immigrants make a major contribution to the notified cases of tuberculosis in this area.

The incidence of tuberculosis in this country has decreased dramatically over the past twenty-five years, particularly in young adults among whom the highest notification rates used to occur. There has been an apparent slowing-down in the rate of decline in notifications of tuberculosis in young adults which some have suggested is associated with the reported high notification rates in young immigrants. From the age distribution of cases shown in the table on page 15, and from the nationality distribution shown below, it would not appear that infected young immigrants make a major contribution to the notified cases of tuberculosis in this area.

NationalityNo. of cases notified
19711970
English4437
Indian129
Pakistani53
Irish54
Chinese21
African1
Austrian1
Falkland Islands1
Welsh1
Scottish1
Total7255