London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

City of London 1970

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]

This page requires JavaScript

The following table gives a comparative picture of infectious diseases over the past ten years:—

Disease (a) Cases reported on Ship's arrival1961196219631964196519661967196819691970
Amoebiasis_41
Cerebrospinal Fever (epidemic Cerebrospinal meningitis)-------1--
Chickenpox81920911
Diphtheria2
Dysentery*12322
Encephalitis (acute)1
Enteric (Typhoid or Paratyphoid) Fever-22-68--55
Enteritis114
Erysipelas1
Food Poisoning (or suspected)-75114
German Measles12146143-11783
Infective Hepatitis/Infective Jaundice19897
Leprosy111
Malaria (including suspected)*11263
Measles356068432215264293
Meningitis (acute) (or Suspected)1
# Mumps233
Pneumonia acute primary344
Scarlet Fever (or Scarlatina)13
Smallpox (including suspected)25121-----
Tuberculosis — pulmonary26332417919581114
Tuberculosis — non-pulmonary11
Yellow Fever (including suspected)1-
Other diseases (including chickenpox up to and including 1965 only)303258198146276100421468* ¢46
TOTALS381373299222317158124134561107
¢ This figure includes 366 cases of gastro enteritis from 3 ships and 87 cases of influenza from 4 ships
(b) Total cases admitted to Hospital including those reported after arrival1961196219631964196519661967196819691970
Amoebiasis-----42---
Chickenpox75542
Dysentery (including suspected)1494347
Encephalitis (acute)1
Enteric (typhoid or paratyphoid) Fever21521143
Enteritis11
# Food Poisoning (or suspected)-212
German Measles3111
Infective Hepatitis/Infective Jaundice11644
Leprosy111
Malaria (including suspected)13421
Measles111171122
Meningitis (Acute) (or suspected)1
Mumps34312111
Pneumonia, acute primary221
Scarlet Fever113
Smallpox (including suspected)311-
Tuberculosis — pulmonary15115911
Tuberculosis — non pulmonary1
Other diseases (including chickenpox up to and including 1965 only)6586867244-5-49
TOTALS8011110789564236283836

* Same case — final diagnosis was
multiple myelomatosis
# Table amended 1966.
Case of Leprosy
(1) In April a man (a Brazilian national) on a tanker was seen by a doctor after the vessel had
berthed. The man had had a rash on his face for about one year. A provisional diagnosis of leprosy
was made and the man admitted to Seamen's Hospital. The Ministry was notified and further
investigations carried out.
In May it was confirmed that the man was suffering from tuberculoid leprosy and the appropriate
registration and follow-up procedures took place.
Pyrexia of Unknown Origin
(2) A vessel was outward bound for Rotterdam on the 19th September, when it was reported that
a member of the crew was ill. Another member of the crew had been reported as convalescing
from chicken pox when the ship arrived in the Thames on 17th September. The Duty Medical
Officer boarded the vessel and decided that the new patient was suffering from pyrexia of unknown
origin. He was removed to Joyce Green Hospital with a diagnosis of ? chicken-pox ?
typhoid fever, and arrangements were made for the Medical Officer of Health of Rotterdam to be
notified of the incident. The case provided a complex puzzle but was eventually diagnosed as a
respiratory infection.
17