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
Deptford 1915
Annual report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford
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47
Notifiable Infectious Diseases.
The total number of cases of Infectious Diseases notified during
the year under the provision of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, and the Tuberculosis Regulations was 1460. This shows a
decrease of 334 on the preceding year.
During the past five years the total number of cases notified and the attack rates per 1,000 of the population have been as follows:—
| 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of cases | 1233 | 1,254 | 1,738 | 1794 | 1460 | ||
| Estimated population | 109,475 | 109,377 | 109,280 | 109,182 | 110,299 | ||
| Attack rate per 1000 of population | 11.3 | 11.4 | 15.6 | 16.4 | 13.2 | ||
The decrease in notifications for 1915 was due to a considerable
diminution in the cases of scarlet fever and diphtheria. There were
426 fewer cases of scarlet fever and 52 fewer cases of diphtheria than
in the previous year.
Discovery and Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases.
It is well to know that unrecognised cases largely spread infectious
diseases.
Discovery.—Mild cases of indisposition or disease excite no particular
attention, or are attributed to other than the real cause by
parents, guardians, or friends, and are not submitted to medical
examination. In the autumn there are generally several instances
of parents and guardians failing to recognise as infectious cases slight
disturbances of health in children, until other children become infected,
and develop typical symptoms.
When cases of suspected infectious diseases occur there is sometimes
considerable difficulty and delay in making an exact medical
diagnosis in certain types of the diseases. Here bacteriological and
additional clinical examinations are brought to bear upon doubtful types,
and to check or confirm the diagnosis.