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

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West Ham 1950

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]

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The number of deaths from all forms was giving a rate per 1,000 of the population
of 0.42 - respiratory (68 deaths) 0.39, and other forms (6 deaths) 0.03. The rates for
England and Wales, and 126 County Borough and Great Towns, for all forms of tuberculosis
were respectively 0.36 and 0.42.
TYPHOID AND PARA TYPHOID FEVERS. There were 3 cases of typhoid fever and 1 case
of para-typhoid fever during the year. In only one of these was it possible to establish
the source of infection and in this case the disease had been contracted outside the Borough.
None of the patients died.
ERYSIPELAS. The number of cases of this disease notified during the year was 22
(8 males and 14 females) giving a case rate of 0.13 per l,000 of the population.
DYSENTERY. There were 16 cases of this disease notified during the year (8 males
and 8 females), giving a case rate of 0.09 per 1,000 of the population.
GASTRO ENTERITIS AND DIARRHOEA. During the year the number of deaths from this
disease was 10, of which only 2 occurred in children under one year of age.
PNEUMONIA. There were 103 cases (62 males and 41 females) of pneumonia - primary
and influenzal - during the year giving a case rate of 0.60 per 1,000 of the population.
The number of deaths from all forms of pneumonia was 96, giving a death rate of O.55 per
1,000 of the population.
PUERPERAL PYREXIA. The number of cases occurring during the year was 35.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM. There were no cases of this disease during the year.
SMALLPOX. No case of smallpox was notified during the year.
Vaccination. Protection is offered in the Child Welfare Clinics on the same
voluntary basis as immunisation against diphtheria. The response, however, is still disappointing,
although there was an improvement on the figures for 1949.

Number of persons vaccinated (or re-vaccinated)

Age at date of vaccination.Under 1X - 4-5-14-15 or overTotal
Number vaccinated446252069560
Number re-vaccinated-213129144

MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION. There were 9 cases of meningococcal infections notified
during the year, of which 5 patients died.
SCARLET FEVER. During the year 370 cases of scarlet fever were notified, this being
a decrease of 67 on the previous year. The case rate per 1,000 total population was 2.14.
There were no deaths from this disease in West Ham.
MEASLES The number of cases of measles notified during the year was 697- 353 in
males and 344 in females. This compares with 1,964 cases notified during the previous year.
The case rate per 1,000 of the total population was 4.03. There were no deaths. Since 1944
the annual notifications of measles have fallen below 1,500 on only one previous occasion,
in 1946 when 850 cases of this disease were reported.
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