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 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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TREATMENT
Ringworm
One case of ringworm was treated during the year. It was a single lesion treated
at a minor ailment clinic by fungicidal ointment. The reduction in the number of children
The figures for previous years are given for comparison
| Year | Total Number Treated | Received X-ray Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 24 | 16 |
| 1947 | 15 | 9 |
| 1948 | 7 | 6 |
| 1949 | 2 | 1 |
| 1950 | 4 | 1 |
| 1951 | 5 | 2 |
| 1952 | 3 | - |
| 1953 | - | - |
| 1954 | 1 | - |
| 1955 | 1 | - |
| 1956 | 1 | - |
The incidence in 1956 was 0.0033 per cent. It is interesting to compare this very low incidence with that of twenty-eight to thirty years ago.
| Year | Number of Cases | School Population | Incidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 117 | 50,279 | 0.23 |
| 1927 | 84 | 49,660 | 0.17 |
| 1928 | 78 | 48,939 | 0.20 |
Scabies
The incidence of scabies remains low. In recent years there has been a general
reduction in the number of children with this disease. This year, however, fourteen cases
were discovered as compared with six cases in 1955. This gives rates of 0.04 and 0.22 per
cent of the school population. In 1954 only one case was discovered being the smallest
over recorded. The increase during the last two years shows that we must be ever vigilant.
Scabies is treated at the Treatment Centre.
To this end the following table has been compiled:-
| Year | Number of Cases | School Population | Incidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 66 | 50,279 | 0.13 |
| 1927 | 82 | 49,660 | 0.16 |
| 1928 | 100 | 48,939 | 0.22 |
| 1951 | 25 | 28,178 | 0.09 |
| 1952 | 35 | 29,139 | 0.12 |
| 1953 | 3 | 29,653 | 0.01 |
| 1954 | 1 | 29,707 | 0.003 |
| 1955 | 6 | 29,487 | 0.02 |
| 1956 | 14 | 29.453 | 0.04 |