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 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Carshalton]
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Whooping Cough
It was reported last year that the cases of whooping cough had fallen
to the record low figure of 73. This favourable experience was repeated in
1957 when the number of notified cases was only two more at 75.
There can now be little doubt that this improving trend is associated
with the growing acceptance of whooping cough immunisation. The
County Council first included whooping cough immunisation in their
schemes of vaccination and immunisation formulated under Section 26 of
the National Health Service Act in 1952. Since that time the increase in
acceptance of this service has grown steadily until now it has reached a
level comparable with that for diphtheria immunisation. At the end of
1957, 62% of the children under five years of age had received this prophylactic
treatment.
As is usual when prevalence is low, the cases were spread irregularly
over the year, but there was a slightly heavier incidence in the third quarter.
There were no deaths.
TABLE 13.
WHOOPING COUGH—WARD INCIDENCE AND MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION, 1957
(Excluding hospital patients non-resident in Carshalton)
| 1957 | Ward | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Helier North | St. Helier South | St. Helier West | North-East | Northwest | Central | South-East | Southwest | ||
| January | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||||
| February.. | 2 | — | 4 | 6 | |||||
| March | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 5 |
| April | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 |
| May | - | - | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| June | 1 | 4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 8 |
| July | 1 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 9 |
| August | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 | — | — | — | — | 19 |
| September | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | — | — | — | — | 13 |
| October | — | - | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 2 |
| November | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| December | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | — | 1 |
| Totals | 6 | 10 | 5 | 36 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 74 |
| Monthly Mean | 0.50 | 0.83 | 0.41 | 3.00 | 0.08 | 0.58 | 0.33 | 0.41 | 6.16 |
| Case rate per 1,000 population | 0.72 | 1.40 | 0.66 | 3.71 | 0.13 | 1.20 | 0.47 | 0.76 | 1.22 |
Meningococcal Infection
One case of meningococcal infection was notified in a boy of six years
who developed meningitis. He was admitted to hospital where he made a
complete recovery.
51