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
West Ham 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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The age and sex incidence of the confirmed cases was as follows
| Male | Female | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | - | - | ||
| 1-4 years | 1 | - | ||
| 5-9 years | 4 | - | ||
| 10-14 years | - | - | ||
| 15-24 years | 2 | - | ||
| Over 25 years | 1 | - | ||
The seasonal incidence of these cases was varied, single cases occurring in
February, April, September and November, and two cases in both August and October.
A further case occurred in a boy of 13 resident in another area but attending a Grammar
School in the borough.
No death occurred as a result of this disease.
Routine surveillance of contacts associated with these eases and of a number of
contacts referred from other areas was applied appropriately. The arrangements for
gathering the weekly notification figures from surrounding areas and distributing the
tabulated results to the contributing Health Departments continued as in the previous
year; this gave a valuable picture of the overall incidence at any one time to the
responsible Authorities concerned.
ACUTE ENCEPHALITIS. No cases occurred and no deaths were registered from this
disease.
ERYSIPELAS. Twenty-one cases were notified. No fatal case was recorded Of the cases notified, the age and sex incidence was as below:-
| Age | Male | Female | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 14 years | - | - | ||
| 15 - 44 years | 4 | 4 | ||
| 45 - 64 years | 8 | 4 | ||
| 65 years + | 1 | - | ||
| TOTAL: | 13 | 8 | ||
The occupational incidence of these cases was varied, the seasonal incidence of
the disease being as follows
January/March 7 cases
April/June 2 cases
July/September 4 cases
October/December 8 cases
PUERPERAL PYREXIA. Fifty-four cases were notified during the year - 50 from
maternity hospitals and 4 domiciliary cases from general practitioners.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM. As in the previous year, no cases were notified.
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