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
City of London 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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The following table gives a comparative picture of infectious diseases over the past ten years:—
| Disease (a) Cases reported on Ship's arrival | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amoebiasis | _ | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Cerebrospinal Fever (epidemic Cerebrospinal meningitis) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | |
| Chickenpox | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 19 | 20 | 9 | 11 |
| Diphtheria | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dysentery | — | — | — | — | — | *1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Encephalitis (acute) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Enteric (Typhoid or Paratyphoid) Fever | - | 2 | 2 | - | 6 | 8 | - | - | 5 | 5 |
| Enteritis | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 14 | — | — |
| Erysipelas | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Food Poisoning (or suspected) | — | - | — | — | — | — | 7 | 51 | 1 | 4 |
| German Measles | 12 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 3 | - | 11 | 7 | 8 | 3 |
| Infective Hepatitis/Infective Jaundice | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| Leprosy | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Malaria (including suspected) | — | — | — | — | — | *1 | — | 12 | 6 | 3 |
| Measles | 35 | 60 | 68 | 43 | 22 | 15 | 26 | 4 | 29 | 3 |
| Meningitis (acute) (or Suspected) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| # Mumps | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Pneumonia acute primary | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Scarlet Fever (or Scarlatina) | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — |
| Smallpox (including suspected) | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tuberculosis — pulmonary | 26 | 33 | 24 | 17 | 9 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 14 |
| Tuberculosis — non-pulmonary | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Yellow Fever (including suspected) | 1 | — | — | - | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other diseases (including chickenpox up to and including 1965 only) | 303 | 258 | 198 | 146 | 276 | 100 | 42 | 1 | 468* ¢ | 46 |
| TOTALS | 381 | 373 | 299 | 222 | 317 | 158 | 124 | 134 | 561 | 107 |
| ¢ 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 arrival | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 |
| Amoebiasis | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 2 | - | - | - |
| Chickenpox | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Dysentery (including suspected) | 1 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | — | — | — |
| Encephalitis (acute) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Enteric (typhoid or paratyphoid) Fever | — | 2 | 1 | — | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Enteritis | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — |
| # Food Poisoning (or suspected) | — | - | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| German Measles | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Infective Hepatitis/Infective Jaundice | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Leprosy | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Malaria (including suspected) | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Measles | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Meningitis (Acute) (or suspected) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Mumps | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pneumonia, acute primary | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Scarlet Fever | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | — |
| Smallpox (including suspected) | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tuberculosis — pulmonary | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 11 |
| Tuberculosis — non pulmonary | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Other diseases (including chickenpox up to and including 1965 only) | 65 | 86 | 86 | 72 | 44 | - | 5 | - | 4 | 9 |
| TOTALS | 80 | 111 | 107 | 89 | 56 | 42 | 36 | 28 | 38 | 36 |
* 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