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
Wandsworth 1896
Report on the health and sanitary condition of the several parishes comprised in the Wandsworth District during the year 1896
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60
Medical Officers of Health Annual Report.
SECOND REPORT ON DIPHTHERIA AT ROEHAMPTON.
Putney, 17th December, 1896.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of letter of the Local Government
Board, asking for further particulars in regard to the
prevalence of Diphtheria at Roehampton, and also as to the
existence of bad smells from sewers and nuisance from farm yard.
In my previous report upon the epidemic of Diphtheria, I expressed
my conviction that the disease began among the children
attending the infant department of the National Schools at
Roehampton.
The extension of the epidemic was facilitated by insufficient
care on the part of the villagers in isolating the cases and by the
insanitary conditions existing at these schools.
The number of notifications of Diphtheria is as follows:—
| During the week ending 19th October | 11 cases. |
| ,, ,, 26th ,, | 8 „ |
| „ „ 2nd November | 5 „ |
| ,, ,, 9th ,, | 0 „ |
| ,, ,, 16th „ | 0 „ |
| „ „ 23rd ,, | 2 „ |
| ,, ,, 30th ,, | 2 „ |
| „ ,, 7th December | 2 „ |
| ,, ,, 14th „ | 0 „ |
The course of the epidemic would seem to bear out the view
I formerly expressed. The disease broke out suddenly and practically
terminated after the third week. In regard to the cases
notified since the middle of November, I have got information that
in regard at least to three of them no Diphtheria bacilli were
found in their throats after removal to hospital, and the diagnosis
in those cases was tonsillitis.
The Surveyor has been making a special investigation of the
condition of the Roehampton sewers, and is making a report
thereon.
As to the complaint of nuisance arising from farm yard, I am