Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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Case 5.—L. W., aged 2 years 9 months, of Bushey Road.
Family history: Maternal grandfather died of paralysis,
maternal grandmother, and an uncle and aunt,
suffered from chorea, one paternal uncle was an imbecile;
father, mother, and two other children (3 years
and 1 year) alive and well. Past history: Has
always been a bilious child, but never constipated
till present illness; had pneumonia at the age of 1
and occasional headaches. There is a history of a
fall downstairs some three or four weeks before the
illness. Present illness: Tuesday, 23rd September,
the child vomited "yellow bile," but was apparently
well afterwards; next day wanted to lie down, and
seemed unable to walk about; complained of abdominal
pain; vomited again in the evening, and was
taken to a doctor's surgery, but owing to the numbers
waiting the mother obtained a cooling powder at the
chemist's; Sunday 28th, as no improvement had
occurred a medical man was consulted, who thought
the child suffered from Influenza; retching and
vomiting continued with constant complaint of feeling
tired, and the patient become feverish and "lightheaded"
at night, but not feverish in daytime; no
rash appeared, but the child became unconscious on
Tuesday, 30th. A second medical man was called in
and the case notified as acute Polio-myelitis on October
4th. The child died on October 11th, and the
premises subsequently disinfected. No school was
attended by any children of the family.
Case 6.—E. D., aged 1 year 10 months, of Redriff Road.
Family history: Father, mother, and one other child
(6 months old) alive and well. Past history: Ethel
is a fat, healthy-looking child, and has had no previous