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 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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months and three years and a woman aged 49 years made satisfactory recoveries.
One further case came to our notice following a child's death soon after
admission to a general hospital. This child was aged one month and the cause
of death, after post-mortem examination, was certified as being due to Acute
Meningococcal Septicaemia.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM. This disease is defined in the Public Health (Ophthalmia
Neonatorum) Regulations as "a purulent discharge from the eyes of an infant,
commencing within 21 days from the date of its birth". Six cases were notified
and all made satisfactory recoveries with no impairment of vision,
PARATYPHOID FEVER. One isolated case of this disease occurred in a boy aged
12 years.
POLIOMYELITIS (INFANTILE PARALYSIS). Of the 26 persons admitted to hospital suspected to be suffering from poliomyelitis, the diagnosis was confirmed in only seven cases, four of which were of the paralytic and three of the nonparalytic type.
| Paralytic | Muscles affected | |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 15½ years | Spine |
| Females - | 1 year | Both legs |
| 4¾ years | Left arm | |
| 8 " | Right arm and leg | |
| Non-paralytic | ||
| Males | 7 years | |
| 8½ " | ||
| Female - | 20 " | |
Of the total of 125 cases notified only 48 related to residents of the borough and the cases occurred as follows:-
| Hospital cases | 123 |
| Home confinements | 2 |
In addition, information was received of 24 Hackney cases occurring in
hospitals situated outside the Borough.
SCARLET FEVER. Notifications of this disease numbered 130 as compared with
291 in the previous year: some 83 of the cases occurred in the 5-10 year age
group. This illness continues to be of the mild type and there were no deaths.
Cases to the number of 49 were admitted to hospital and there was again no
evidence that the treatment of the remaining cases in their own homes resulted
in the spread of infection.
SMALLPOX, No cases of this disease occurred but the usual measures were taken
in regard to contacts of the disease arriving in the borough.
WHOOPING COUGH. The number of cases notified was 220 as compared with 736 in
1953. There were no deaths.
PUBLIC HEALTH BACTERIOLOGY. The arrangements made in 1953 whereby all public
health bacteriology for the Department and medical practitioners in the borough
was carried out by the Public Health Laboratory Service at that Authority's
laboratory situate at County Hall was continued and functioned most satisfactorily.
The 2,453 specimens submitted for examination were reported on as
follows:-