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
Southwark 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]
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| Disease. | 0- | 1- | 5- | 10- | 15- | 20- | 25- | 35- | 45- | 55- | 65- | 75- | 85- | Males. | Females. | Total | Cases admitted to Hospital | Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 9 | 152 | 202 | 74 | 32 | 19 | 21 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 246 | 268 | 514 | 497 | 3 |
| Smallpox | — | 1 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 18 | 13 | 31 | 31 | — |
| Diphtheria | 6 | 141 | 160 | 55 | 23 | 19 | 11 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 202 | 224 | 426 | 426 | 8 |
| Memb. Croup | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Enteric Fever | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Paratyphoid | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Puerperal Fever | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 12 | 12 | 5 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | — | — | — | — | 2 | 7 | 20 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 36 | 28 | 5 |
| Cerebro-Spinal Fever | 1 | 7 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
| Measles | 33 | 161 | 94 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 146 | 156 | 302 | 45 | 3 |
| Malaria | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — |
| Dysentery | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Epidemic Diarrhoea | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 18 |
| Encephalitis Lethargica | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Pneumonia | 23 | 70 | 46 | 14 | 32 | 95 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 41 | 25 | 6 | 2 | 270 | 141 | 411 | 278 | 84 |
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | 20 | — | — |
| Ervsipelas | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 21 | 29 | 22 | 3 | 7 | — | 59 | 70 | 129 | — | — |
| Polio-Encephalitis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Polio-Myelitis | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — |
| Chickenpox | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Anthrax | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 97 | 543 | 515 | 162 | 110 | 87 | 115 | 87 | 79 | 66 | 28 | 13 | 2 | 967 | 937 | 1904 | 1337 | 138 |
In addition, one attache case of papers was disinfected and two
mats were destroyed.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
At the present time the Maternity services of the Borough are carried
on with eight municipal, two partly municipal and partly voluntary,
and four voluntary centres.
HEALTH VISITING.
The arrangements made for the visiting of children between the ages
of 1 and 5 years for the present appear to be fairly satisfactory.
During the year under consideration 868 more children between
these ages have been visited in their homes by the Health visitors.
Of this number 730 were visited by the Municipal health visitors
and 138 by Voluntary workers.
Cases of measles, whooping cough, pneumonia, ophthalmia
neonatorum, etc., are visited and reported on by the health visitors
employed by the Council; likewise enquiries into cases of puerperal
pyrexia, maternal and infant deaths.