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 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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The occupational incidence for males Included a fitter's mate, a steel worker, an
engineering foreman, and a retired labourer; for females, a shop assistant, a cashier, a
hospital receptionist, a beer bottler, a factory hand, a home help, a leaflet-distributor,
painters assistant, refrigerator insulator, and housewives. The seasonal incidence was as
below:-
January/March 2 cases
April/June 9 cases
July/September 3 cases
October/December 4 cases
PUERPERAL PYREXIA. Eleven cases were notified during the year, a decrease of 8 as
compared with 1956. Seven cases occurred in maternity hospitals and 4 cases at home.
DYSENTERY. Forty-five cases of Sonne Dysentery occurred during the year as compared
with 283 in 1956.
The age and sex incidence was as follows:-
| Age | March | June | September | December | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Under 5 years | - | - | 1 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 1 | |
| 5-14 years | 1 | - | 15 | 12 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 15 |
| 15 - 24 years | - | 3 | - | - | - | * | - | - | - | 3 |
| 25 years and over | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Totals | 1 | 3 | 16 | 21 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 27 |
FOOD POISONING. Fifteen cases of food poisoning were notified during the year. Twelve
of these cases were associated with four outbreaks, whilst the remaining 3 cases were isolated
instances of infection for which no cause could be found.
Salmonella organisms were confirmed as the infecting organisms in all cases.
Annual Return of Food Poisoning Notifications for the year 1957.
Pood Poisoning Notifications (Corrected).
1. 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter
Jan/March April/June July/September Oct/December. TOTAL
5 9 1 15
2. Outbreaks due to Identified Agents.
Total Outbreaks - 4 Total Cases - 12 (Salmonella Typhl-murlum)
3. Outbreaks of Undiscovered Cause
Total Outbreaks - Total Cases -
4. Single Cases
Agents Identified - 3 Unknown Cause
(Salmonella Organisms)
9