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 1905
Report on the vital and sanitary statistics of the Borough of Lambeth during the year 1905
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The Guardians' late Medical Officer (Dr. Rugg) was well aware
of the danger of infection passing from child to child at the
Infirmary, for in a letter, dated March 7th, 1903, he stated that,
in connection with the Measles outbreak, 1902-3, "the
Infirmary (Measles) cases no doubt had infection conveyed
to them by children admitted for other ailments, but who
developed Measles a few days after admission."
To give an idea of the large number of children passing through the Infirmary, the following return (dealing with a period from March 3rd, 1904, to Feb. 28th, 1905) is interesting:—
| Admissions. | Sent to Infirmary. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Receiving Ward | 895 | 132 |
| 2. Probation Ward | 554 | 46 |
| 3. Schools | - | 513 |
The average time spent in Infirmary by each patient was,
during the same period, 24 days.
Secondary Outbreak in the Receiving Ward of the Schools.
In addition to C South Block, in connection with which the
first half of the outbreak may be said to have arisen from the
Infirmary, the infection having been introduced by Joseph J.
Tipper, there was a secondary outbreak connected with the
Receiving Ward of the Schools, the details of which are equally
interesting
A child (Bridget Archer, aged 4 years) was admitted to the
Receiving Ward (which at the time was supposed to be in
quarantine) on June 16th from the Lambeth Workhouse (3 to
4 miles away), and was found on admission to be suffering from
enlarged and inflamed tonsils. A bacteriological examination
proved that her throat and nose were teeming with true KlebsLœffler
diphtheria bacilli (in pure cultivation), and she was
removed in consequence to the Metropolitan Asylums Board
Hospital next day (June 17th), having previously infected directly
other children who were in the Receiving Ward at the time,
and who contracted diphtheria within 7 days from contact with
the infection, and were removed to the Metropolitan Asylums
Board Hospital as follows:—June 21st, 3; June 22nd, 4; June
23rd, 1; and June 24th, 1. From these 9 centres there arose 7
other cases which may be tabulated as indirectly arising from