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
Surbiton 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Surbiton]
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NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES DURING THE YEARS ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1941 to 1950.
| 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria | 16 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 15 | – | – | – | - |
| Scarlet fever | 24 | 80 | 299 | 149 | 45 | 38 | 31 | 39 | 195 | 87 |
| Enteric fever | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Paratyphoid fever | - | - | - | - | - | – | - | – | – | – |
| Puerperal pyrexia | - | – | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | - | 2 | - | 1 |
| Pneumonia | 46 | 14 | 34 | 25 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 11 |
| Erysipelas | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Poliomyelitis | – | – | - | 1 | 1 | - | 19 | 2 | 15 | 8 |
| Encephalitis lethargica | - | – | - | - | - | - | 1 | – | l | – |
| Meningococcal infectior | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | 5 | – | – | 1 |
| Ophthalmia neonatorum | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | – | 2 | 1 | - |
| Dysentery | - | 1 | 2 | - | 4 | 4 | - | 1 | 1 | 140 |
| Malaria | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | – | – | _ | 1 | - |
| Food poisoning | - | - | - | - | - | - | – | - | 8 | 9 |
| Measles | 327 | 433 | 323 | 212 | 775 | 429 | 170 | 591 | 601 | |
| Whooping cough | 369 | 65 | 176 | 52 | 90 | 48 | 108 | 157 | 1 102 1 | 176 |
| Chicken pox | _ | _ | _ | – | _ | _ | _ | _ | 1 | - |
| 793 | 616 | 846 | 449 | 949 | 565 | 554 | 815 | 829 | 780 |
It is noteworthy to see that no death from diphtheria or
poliomyelitis was recorded in 1950. Food poisoning, now notifiable
shows a tendency to increase, The increase can he attributed to the
fact that there is a shortage in meat ana other rationed foods and
in order to supply the people with food made-up dishes, pies, etc.
are on sale to the public, the contents of which might be open to
question and readily decompose if not kept in cold storage.
9.