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
Battersea 1899
Report upon the public health and sanitary condition of the Parish of St. Mary, Battersea during the year1899
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The following shews the number of cases of smallpox notified during each year of the past decennium, those which were subsequently found not to be true cases being excluded :—
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 0 |
| 1892 | 2 |
| 1893 | 108 |
| 1894 | 8 |
| 1895 | 20 |
| 1896 | 4 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| i898 | 1 |
| I899 | 0 |
Cholera.
From this disease likewise no cases have occurred of the
Asiatic type, which is the genuine form of the disease. Several
deaths from English Cholera took place during the year, but
this disease belongs to the Diarrhoea class and is not notifiable.
Diphtheria and Membranous Croup.
This disease which in 1898 contributed so largely to the
total number of notifications and for the last two years to the
zymotic mortality shewed very great improvements in both
directions during 1899, the case reduction being equal to 185 and
the mortality being 51 below the average of the two years 1897-8.
Six hundred and six cases were notified, sixty-three of which
were fatal, twenty-one being at the homes of the patients and
forty-two at hospitals, where four hundred and forty-nine of the
cases were removed. The mortality amongst the home and
hospitals cases is therefore comparatively equal, the hospital
treatment shewing the better result however, notwithstanding
that it is there that the more serious cases are dealt with. Antitoxin
in medical practice is being found of great value in the
reduction of mortality from the disease.
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