London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Battersea 1920

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]

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The above include civil as well as military cases.
Contacts were also kept under observation in connection
with cases of diphtheria in a civilian institution, viz., the St.
James' Infirmary.
Small-pox.
There were no cases of small-pox notified in Battersea
during 1920, and no deaths were registered from this disease.
In a case which occurred outside the Borough, clothing
had been sent to a laundry in the Borough, and steps were
immediately taken to disinfect the clothing and premises
thoroughly. All persons who came into contact with this
soiled clothing were temporarily isolated and vaccinated.
Scarlet Fever.
667 cases of scarlet fever were notified in Battersea
during 1920, as compared with 484 in 1919. The case-rate per
1,000 of the population was 4.03, and 7 deaths were registered
from the disease in the Borough, giving a death-rate per 1,000
population of 0.04. Of the cases notified 659 (i.e., 98.8
per cent.) were removed to hospital. Fifteen cases notified
as scarlet fever were found not to be suffering from the
disease.
There was a greatly increased incidence of scarlet fever
in London during the year, marking the commencement of one
of the quinquennial waves of epidemicity which are typical of
the more common infections.
Diphtheria.
Diphtheria was considerably more prevalent during 1920
than in the preceding year, the number of cases notified being
530, as compared with 229 in 1919. There were 516 cases
(i.e., 97.4 per cent. of the total notified) removed to hospital.
Thirty-seven deaths were registered from the disease in
Battersea, giving a fatality of 0 22 per 1,000, as against 0.13
in 1919.
The total number of houses invaded by diphtheria was 463.
Twenty-nine cases notified as diphtheria and removed to
hospital were found not to be suffering from the disease, and
were discharged to their homes.
Enterio Fever.
During 1920 there were 10 cases of enteric fever notified
in the Borough, as against 11 in 1919 and 6 in 1918.