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
Carshalton 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Carshalton]
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The following table shows the estimated percentage of children immunised at each year end since 1935, when the Council's scheme was inaugurated and the incidence of diphtheria in the resident population:
| Year. | Percentage of Children Immunised. | Incidence of Diphtheria. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-5 Years. | 5-15 Years. | 0-15 Years. | Cases. | Attack Rate per 1,000 Population. | |
| 1935 | - | - | 7 | 58 | 1.13 |
| 1936 | — | — | 10 | 53 | 0.95 |
| 1937 | — | — | 15 | 47 | 0.80 |
| 1938 | — | — | 18 | 33 | 0.67 |
| 1939 | — | — | 19 | 14 | 0.23 |
| 1940 | — | — | 21 | 45 | 0.77 |
| 1941 | — | — | 49 | 26 | 0.46 |
| 1942 | 40 | 84 | 71 | 23 | 0.40 |
| 1943 | 57 | 78 | 72 | 7 | 0.12 |
| 1944 | 54 | 83 | 75 | 7 | 0.12 |
| 1945 | 58 | 75 | 70 | 15 | 0.27 |
| 1946 | 64 | 81 | 76 | 4 | 0.06 |
| 1947 | 63 | 84 | 78 | 2 | 0.03 |
| 1948 | 67 | 92 | 81 | 1 | 0.01 |
| 1949 | 60 | 91 | 81 | 1 | 0.01 |
| 1950 | 63 | 98 | 85 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1951 | 57 | 97 | 84 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1952 | 54 | 99 | 84 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1953 | 52 | 85(70*) | 75(64*) | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1954 | 53 | 85(66*) | 75(62*) | 0 | 0.00 |
(* Immunised within the last 5 years)
Erysipelas
Four cases of erysipelas were notified. Three were elderly adults
and the fourth a baby of one month who suffered from ophthalmia
neonatorum in addition. All were infections of the face and all recovered.
Pneumonia
Notifiable pneumonia is limited to (a) primary pneumonia, i.e.
pneumonia which arises as such and is not a secondary complication of
some other infection such as measles, and (b) influenzal pneumonia.
During 1954, 28 notifications were received, only two of which were in
respect of influenzal pneumonia, a reflection of the fact that there was no
severe epidemic of influenza during the year.
Measles
Until the outbreak of the second World War, the incidence of
measles in big centres of population, such as Greater London, showed a
very definite biennial periodicity. The large movements of the child
population in 1940, however, markedly affected this pattern of prevalence
and the expected epidemic of that year did not materialise in the
London area. It has not yet resumed its previous wave form, but, to a
certain extent, a year of low incidence is still frequently followed by one of
larger epidemic proportions. In 1953, the attack rate of measles was
relatively high and so a favourable year in 1954 was not unexpected.
Only 173 cases—all residents but two—were notified, as compared
with 652 in the year before. Experience so far in 1955 shows that the
wave of prevalence is again rising.
There were no deaths from measles.
50