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
Lambeth 1902
Report on the vital and sanitary statistics of the Borough of Lambeth during the year 1902
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The distribution of the disease in the different Registration Sub-Districts of the Borough of Lambeth, together with the different mortality rates for hospital- and home-, treated patients, etc., are as follows: —
| Registration Sub-Districts. | Total No. of Cases Notified. | Cases treated at Home. | Cases removed to Hospital. | No. of Deaths. | Case Mortality per 100. | Rate of Persons Notified per 1000 Inhabitants. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Home. | In | Hospital. | Total. | ||||||
| Waterloo Rd. 1st | 23 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8.7 | 1.9 |
| Waterloo ,, 2nd | 29 | 3 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6.9 | |
| Lambeth Ch. 1st | 83 | 18 | 65 | - | 6 | 6 | 7.2 | 4.5 |
| Lambeth Ch. 2nd | 83 | 8 | 75 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 15.7 | 2.1 |
| Kennington 1st | 64 | 18 | 46 | - | 2 | 2 | 3.1 | 1.2 |
| Kennington 2nd | 75 | 27 | 48 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 16.0 | 1.7 |
| Brixton | 90 | 24 | 66 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 7.8 | 1.05 |
| Norwood | 12 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 41.7 | 0.3 |
| 112 | 11 | 38 | 10.7 | 1.5 | ||||
The value of antitoxin* as a remedy for Diphtheria is now
acknowledged, more especially when used in the early stages of
the diseases, e.g., first or second days. Recognising the importance
of this antitoxin treatment being early administered, and
remembering that no untoward results have yet been noticed, or
reported, in cases where the remedy has been given to persons
even when not suffering from Diphtheria, it is advisable to try
this remedy at once, if necessary even before the diagnosis has
been cleared up by bacteriological examination. Such early
administration cannot possibly do any harm, and may do an immense
amount of good, e.g., by saving life, etc.
Antitoxin is found now to be useful, too, as a prophylactic, or
preventative. Children and others exposed to Diphtheria may,
with advantage, be injected with small doses of antitoxin, as also
susceptible persons, who have been in close proximity to a Diphtheria
patient, or may have to reside in a house where Diphtheria
exists, owing to the patient, from any cause, not being removed
to Hospital. Such persons under these conditions are less likely
to catch the disease if protected by antitoxin. Antitoxin has
been distributed gratuitously by the Borough Council for use
both as a remedy and a prophylactic, throughout 1902, 78 vials
having been so distributed within the Borough.
* Antitoxin first gratuitously distributed in Lambeth by the late Vestry
on August 3rd, 1899.