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
Brentford and Chiswick 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Brentford and Chiswick]
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Scarlet Fever.—Cases of a mild type were found throughout
the year, but the disease did not take an epidemic form.
Diphtheria.—Cases also occurred each month, but were
fortunately of a mild type. There was no epidemic, but this
disease was rather more prevalent in the Brentford Area during
the last months of the year. More "carriers" and nasal cases
were seen than in previous years.
Chicken-pox.—We were never free from this disease, which
was most prevalent during the early part of the year, and there
was a definite epidemic, especially in the Chiswick Area, during
March and April.
Measles.—As was expected, there were a large number of
eases during the year and there was a widespread epidemic
during the early months, with the peak in March and April.
As shown in the next Table, this disease is most regular in
its incidence.
Whooping Cough and Mumps.—There were comparatively
few cases of these diseases during the year.
The prevalence of infectious disease in the schools, com pared with that of the nine previous years, is shown in the following table:—
| 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 88 | 102 | 71 | 337 | 550 | 358 | 126 | 170 | 252 | 134 |
| Diphtheria | 109 | 139 | 75 | 46 | 153 | 65 | 71 | 21 | 40 | 175 |
| Chicken Pox | 429 | 239 | 357 | 173 | 347 | 242 | 229 | 306 | 244 | 460 |
| Measles | 70 | 680 | 69 | 895 | 60 | 585 | 43 | 886 | 63 | 833 |
| Whooping Cough | 429 | 65 | 230 | 295 | 167 | 206 | 316 | 238 | 200 | 79 |
| Mumps | 423 | 178 | 275 | 57 | 37 | 445 | 493 | 554 | 62 | 56 |
| Influenza | 227 | 161 | 183 | 124 | 117 | 60 | 9 | 12 | 8 | — |
7.— FOLLOWING UP.
The following up of children found to be defective and
referred for treatment or observation at Routine and Special
Inspections is undertaken both by the School Nurses and the
School Medical Officers and may be summarised as follows:—
School Nurses.
(a) Home Visiting.—(1) of children excluded for uncleanliness,
(2) of those whose parents have neglected or refused
treatment which is considered necessary, (3) of those needing
treatment whose parents were not present at the inspection,