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
Poplar 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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100
Malaria.
One case of Malaria was notified and was treated at home.
Dysentery (Sonne).
A small outbreak of Dysentery (Sonne) occurred in a children's ward
for medical cases at the Poplar Hospital at the end of November. The
facts were reported immediately to the Ministry of Health and one of the
Medical Officers of the Ministry visited the hospital with the Medical
Officer of Health.
All the patients affected, including two nurses, were removed to one
of the London County Council's Isolation Hospitals.
All the patients who had been discharged from the Poplar Hospital
from 6th November were visited and Health Visitors were instructed to
watch for cases of Diarrhoea associated with mucus and blood in stools.
The number of cases not ified and removed to hospital was as follows:—
| Staff | 2 |
| In-patients | 10 |
| Ex-patients | 2 |
| Relatives of ex-patient (Mother and Brother) | 2 |
| 16 |
One patient (a child aged 3 months) died and the cause of death was
recorded as "Acute Infective Enteritis." Regarding this case, the
Medical Superintendent of the Isolation Hospital stated the child could
not be definitely diagnosed as a case of Dysentery, no blood was observed
in the faeces and the pathological report was negative for dysentery
organisms.
One ex-patient, with his mother and brother, gave positive blood
(agglutination) tests, as follows:—
Mother—Positive Flexner, 1 in 240.
Brother—Positive Sonne, 1 in 480.
Ex-patient—Positive Sonne, 1 in 480.