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
Chelsea 1909
Annual report for 1909 of the Medical Officer of Health
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22
Case Mortality.—The following Table shows the case mortality, or
percentage of deaths to notifications of scarlet fever, diphtheria (including
membranous croup), and enteric fever, in Chelsea and in London, in each
of the 20 years 1890-1909 :—
Table XIX.—Case Mortality in Chelsea, and in London, 1890-1909.
| Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria and Membranous Croup. | Enteric Fever. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea. | London. | Chelsea. | London. | Chelsea. | London. | |
| 1890 | 7.0 | 5.7 | 17.6 | 24.1 | 17.4 | 23.0 |
| 1891 | 3.6 | 5.1 | 15.4 | 22.5 | 17.4 | 15.6 |
| 1892 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 22.9 | 23.9 | 13.6 | 17.2 |
| 1893 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 23.4 | 24.5 | 22.1 | 18.4 |
| 1894 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 21.7 | 23.6 | 14.7 | 18.1 |
| 1895 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 18.7 | 20.4 | 18.4 | 17.0 |
| 1896 | 4.9 | 3.7 | 22.9 | 19.3 | 14.7 | 17.7 |
| 1897 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 17.9 | 17.1 | 26.4 | 18.8 |
| 1898 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 25.0 | 19.3 |
| 1899 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 10.6 | 14.2 | 28.1 | 18.0 |
| 1900 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 9.9 | 12.8 | 24.4 | 17.5 |
| 1901 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 8.5 | 11.1 | 12.8 | 16.8 |
| 1902 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 16.6 | 16.3 |
| 1903 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 9.7 | 31.0 | 16.6 |
| 1904 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 8.2 | 10.1 | 15.4 | 15.6 |
| 1905 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 9.6 | 8.5 | 18.8 | 15.7 |
| 1906 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 10.0 | 8.8 | 0.0 | 16.9 |
| 1907 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 5.1 | 9.1 | 14.3 | 14.5 |
| 1908 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 29.4 | 18.1 |
| 1909 | 2.3 | 14.4 | 16.7 | |||
Diarrhœa Outbreak.—In September, 1909, an acute outbreak of
diarrhœa occurred in a Rescue Home for Women in the Borough, 23 of the
inmates being affected, and one case having a fatal termination. In this
institution resided 31 inmates, the matron, 3 officers, and 4 servants. At
12.30 a.m. on the 29th September, 3 of the inmates were attacked with
severe diarrhœa and sickness; 9 more were taken ill with similar
symptoms during the course of the day, 8 on the 30th September, and 3 on
the 1st October—23 in all. All the cases were inmates of the Home,
none of the officers or servants being attacked. The probable cause of the
illness was some infective organism or its toxines in the food partaken of
during Tuesday, the 28th September. On enquiry it appeared that cold
mutton and cold gammon of bacon were partaken of at the mid-day meal
on the 28th by all persons residing in the institution, both these dishes
having been cooked on Saturday the 25th. The food was apparently in
good condition when cooked on the 25th, and when eaten on the 28th, as
nothing wrong was noticed by the cook, nor were any complaints made
by those who consumed the food.
One of the patients, a girl of 16, who was one of the first to be taken
ill, died on the 1st October, and an inquest was held, when a verdict of
"accidental death" was returned. Bacteriological investigation of the
blood and internal organs of the deceased girl, showed the presence in