[Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Watford U.D.C. / Borough.

  • Watford (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1947
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Watford U.D.C. / Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ’Watford Borough Watford Rural Bushey Urban Ricknarmrth Urban Chorleyood Urban Other Districts Scarlet Fever 27 23 9 6 - 2 Diphtheria k h 3 1 1 - Cerebrospinal Meningitis 11 2 - « - - Measles 31 1 1 2 - •• Whooping Cough 3 3 1 - 1 Erysipelas 2 1 - • - 1 Poliomyelitis 21 2 6 k — 1 Mumps 1 - - - - Paratyphoid Fever h - — -» - 1 Chicken Pox 1 - - - - - Rubella - 1 - - - - Enteric Fever 5 - - - - - Ringworm 5 • - - •* *• Ophthalmia Neonatorum 2 • - • Gastro-enteritis 1 - - 1 - - Other Causes 10 2 1 1+ mm «* 139(123) 39(19) 23(51+) 19 (22) -Ur.). ~z~m) Although there was only a slight drop in the number of cases ad¬ mitted during 19i+7 in comparison with 19M>, there has been a fall of 13) in the last two years. The type of case now being admitted is very varied and only requires the two new blocks for this purpose with the result that ward 5 has been set aside for Tuberculosis cases, Wards 2 & 3 for special classes for educationally subnormal children, ward 1 for recreation with Ward k held in reserve for emergencies. Several items of interest occurred during the year. A small fam¬ ily outbreak of Enteric Fever from which all the cases recovered was followed in the summer by an unusually heavy increase in admissions suffering from Poliomyelitis. Although the orthopaedic service co¬ operated in every way possible for the benefit of these cases, several of them had to remain in the Isolation Hospital beyond their period of infectivity. Unfortunately, two small children were admitted suffering from severe Polioencephalitis from 'which they died shortly afterwards. One other case became progressive and died, but due to Matron's previous experience of treating cases in an iron lung, another case was saved which would undoubtedly have died. In recent years it has never been easy to provide a sufficient number of Nursing Staff throughout the year and considerable credit must be given to the part-time staff who kept up their duties in spite of home ties, thus assisting the full-time staff to cover the difficult periods which are always found from time to time in Isolation Hospitals. It can be truthfully said that from Matron downwards all the staff work¬ ed with a will and gave of their best to help in the patients' recovery, especially those who had to remain in hospital for many months. The work of both the Nursing and Domestic staff has to be seen to be really appreciated. - 36 -