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
Hackney 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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64
SCABIES AND VERMINOUS CONDITIONS.
During the year under review 36 cases of Scabies were notified,
as compared with 61 the previous year and 1,032 for the first full
year of compulsory notification in 1944.
Cases of head or body lice treated at the Disinfecting Station
during 1951, totalled 875. The figure for 1950 was 1,168.
The improvement in personal cleanliness which has been
achieved during the past few years is well illustrated by the figures
given below of the incidence of Scabies and verminous conditions
since the year 1944.
Scabies .
1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951
Cases notified 1,032 1,021 924 318 208 128 61 36
Cases treated
at Cleansing
Station .. 2,825 2,611 2,059 934 498 247 88 85
Head or Body Lice .
Cases .. 1,737 1,672 2,231 2,013 1,642 1,377 1,168 875
The work carried out at the Council's Cleansing Station in 1951, is summarised in the following statement:—
| Scabies. | Head or body lice. | Impetigo | Hot baths. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | Treatments | Cases. | Treatments | |||
| Children under 5 years | 10 | 29 | 34 | 34 | - | - |
| Children over 5 years | 49 | 127 | 755 | 755 | - | - |
| Adults | 26 | 91 | 86 | 89 | - | 12 |
| Totals | 85 | 247 | 875 | 878 | — | 12 |
Preventive treatment was given to 23 persons who had been in
close contact with persons suffering from Scabies.
Information was received of one Hackney child of school age
who was treated for Scabies at a London County Council bathing
centre in one of the adjoining boroughs.
DISINFECTION AND DISINFESTATION.
The following is a summary of the work carried out by the
disinfection staff during the year:—
(a) After the occurrence of infectious and contagious diseases:
Number of rooms disinfected 1,034
Number of articles of bedding and clothing
disinfected or destroyed 24,713