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 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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PUERPERAL PYREXIA. Sixty-two cases were notified during the year, 55 from
maternity hospitals and 7 domiciliary cases from general practitioners.
DYSENTERY. One-hundred-and-eleven cases of Sonne Dysentery occurred during the
year. Fifteen of these were associated with a small outbreak at Park School, involving
9 children at the School and 6 family contacts. The remaining 94 cases were sporadic and
involved 11 families.
Through the co-operation of the food trade there has been a marked improvement
in the general standard of hygiene in the production, transport and retailing of food
products. In spite of this there were an appreciable number of families involved which
is perhaps a reflection of the standard of hygiene maintained by the housewife in the
home, not only In the storage and handling of food but also in the cleanliness of the
home, especially of the lavatory. It is unfortunate that under the present housing
conditions many families have to share lavatory accommodation with the result that the
cleanliness of the communal lavatory is left to the other person and provides a potent
cause of spread of infection to other families, especially children.
The age and sex incidence was as follows
| Age | March | June | September | Pecember | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Under 5 years | 1 | - | 4 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 20 | 12 |
| 5 - 14 years | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 23 | 27 |
| 15 - W- years | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 17 |
| 45 - 64 years | - | - | - | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | 4 |
| 65 + | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Totals: | 3 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 10 | 19 | 27 | 22 | 51 | 60 |
FOOD POISONING. Twenty cases of food poisoning were notified during the year.
Eight of these cases were associated with three outbreaks, whilst the remaining 12 cases,
in spite of full investigation and Inquiry including laboratory investigation of close
contacts, were deemed to be Isolated instances of infection for which no cause could be
found.
Salmonella Typhi-murium was confirmed as the infecting organism in 17 cases.
In the three separate family outbreaks involving eight cases (4, 2, 2,) Salmonella
typhi-murium was responsible but no definite vehicle of infection could be implicated.
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