[Report 1942] / Medical Officer of Health, Exmouth U.D.C.

  • Exmouth (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1942
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1942] / Medical Officer of Health, Exmouth U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ( ^ library EXMOUTH URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. ANNUAL REPORT 1942. Mr* Chairman, Mrs. Kay and Gentlemen, As much of the subject matter of the Annual Report is not considered necessary at the present time the following short summary of matters affecting the health of the district during 1942 has been prepared. The usual records are being preserved and in happier times a more comprehensive report covering the war years will be presented. It may be stated that the health of the district during the year was, on the whole, satisfactory. There was a big drop in the oases of Infectious Diseases notified as compared with 1941 and arrangements for treatment were again quite adequate. All the services and the additional services set up due to the war situation were maintained as heretofore. Dr.Turner who had come to help on account of the many extra duties thrust upon the Health Department resigned in November and it was with regret that her resignation was accepted. Notifiable Diseases. During the year 18 cases of Scarlet Fever were notified, the diagnosis was revised in one case. All the cases were mild and in several instances the infection was contacted outside the area. Ten of the 13 cases were admitted to hospital but every effort was made to nurse cases of Scarlet Fever at home in accordance with the modern practice of the control of this disease. Except where familial cases occured no common source of infection could be detected. Three cases of Diphtheria were notified but here again the diagnosis was revised in one case, so that only two cases of true Diphtheria occured during the year. Both these cases were of the mild type. The Immunisation against Diphtheria was actively pursued and will be dealt with in the separate section. Twenty- nine cases of I/hooping Gough were notified but only 6 cases of Measles* Following on the outbreak in the previous year this was not un-expected. Three cases of Puerperal lyrexia were notified and those were de^lt with in in conjunction with the County Public Health Dept, which is the authority for taking action in these cases. One case of Cexebro Spinal Fever occured in the town but investigation indicated that the infection had been contracted outside the district. Three cases of pneumonia, 5 of erysipelas and 2 of dysentery were also notified during the year. Diphtheria Immunisation. Age under Age 5 yrs& Total 5 yrs. over but Number of children who completed under 15. full course of Immunisation in 1942. 219 382 601 Estimated fo children Immunised 64^o 93.5fo No Mass Immunisation was considered necessary but the monthly clinic was maintain- ed at 122 Exeter Rd as was the case last year. At each session of the clinic one of the local doctors helped the M.O.H . in the carrying out of the Immunisation and during the year each one of the practising doctors in the town made at least one attendance at this centre. As can be seen from the above table 601 children were Imi.iunised at the Clinic. Propaganda was carried out by leaflets, cinema slides at local cinemas and newspaper advertisements. The school teachers again co-operated most enthusiastically in support of the Immunisation campaign and were of invaluable help to this department in maintaining the high percentage of Immunised children in the town. A couple of times during the year drives were organised and leaflets were distributed through the schools to children who had not yet been Immunised and visits were ma.de by school nurses to the homes of the children under school age. At the end of the year with the co-operation of the School Nurses and the Red Cross, visits were made to every house in the town and parents again advised of the arrangements existing in order to secure the Immunisation of their children.