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60
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Cases of Mistaken Diagnosis.
During the year information was received from the Metropolitan
Asylums Board's Hospitals that the patients removed to hospital were
not suffering from the disease notified or any other notifiable disease
in 94 cases, compared with 106 in 1903, and 41 in 1902.
Of the 936 cases of Diphtheria, Scarlet Fever and Enteric Fever
removed to hospital the diagnosis in 94, or 10 per cent, was incorrect.
In 1903 this percentage was 9-5, and in 1902 only 2 8.
Enteric Fever still shows a higher percentage of error in
diagnosis than the other two diseases, but this year Diphtheria shows
a decided increase compared with previous years and it is to the
increase in this disease that the total increase is due, as in the other
two there is a decided decrease.
The following Table shows the number of cases of mistaken
diagnosis from these three diseases in the several sub-districts and
for the whole Borough, as well as the percentage of error :—

In 1903 the percentage of cases of mistaken diagnosis for the
whole of London was, for Scarlet Fever 6.6, compared with 4.7 in
1902; for Diphtheria 14.3, compared with 13.5; and for Enteric Fever
25.4, compared with 21.2.