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 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Carshalton]
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Measles
Conforming to the long experienced pattern of periodicity, prevalence of
measles following the relatively high level of incidence in the year before was
very low in 1958. Only 83 cases were notified compared with 684 in 1957.
This is the lowest annual total for 15 years. It can reasonably be expected
that 1959 will see the curve of prevalence rise again. As is usual when
incidence is low, the cases were scattered irregularly over the year. There
was no epidemic period, although the cases were slightly more numerous in
June, July and August. There were no deaths.
TABLE 12.—MEASLES WARD INCIDENCE AND MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION, 1958.
(Excluding hospital patients non-resident in Carshalton)
| 1958 | Ward | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Helier North | St. Helier South | St. Helier West | North-East | Northwest | Central | South-East | Southwest | Total | |
| January | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| February | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| March | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 8 |
| April | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| June | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| July | — | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | — | 15 |
| August | 1 | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | — | 6 | 3 | 20 |
| September | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| October | — | — | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| November | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| December | 1 | 5 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 26 |
| Totals | 7 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 31 | 6 | 82 |
| Monthly Mean | 0.58 | 0.58 | 0.50 | 1.33 | 0.41 | 0.33 | 2.58 | 0.50 | 6.83 |
| Case rate per 1,000 population | 0.85 | 0.98 | 0.80 | 1.65 | 0.69 | 0.69 | 3.65 | 0.91 | 1.35 |
Whooping Cough
Comment was made in last year's report on the effect that immunisation
is now having upon the prevalence of whooping cough. Preventive
inoculation against this disease was first included in the County Council's
Scheme in 1952. From that time acceptance of this treatment grew steadily,
but it did not assume significant proportions until 1954. The yearly total of
cases shews that immunisation began to exert its effect from that year and
the incidence has fallen progressively since.
49
The following figures shew the cases notified during each of the past
ten years and the percentage of children under five years of age immunised
against whooping cough at the beginning of each year:—