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
St Pancras 1885
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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public must realize the fact that compulsory "protection" from
Infectious Disease is in the best interests of the community, and
that uncontrolled "free trade" in Infectious Disease is the least
desirable form of free trade, or, to put it in other terms, the
"liberty of the subject" means the liberty to spread disease
broadcast, a cruel liberty worse than license.
Appended is a table of the infectious cases that have come to tbe knowledge of the Department during the year 1885.
| Disease. | Total No. of Cases. | Removed to Metropolitan Asylums Boards' Hospitals. | Removed to1 other Infectious Diseases Hospitals. | Removed to General Hospitals. | Treated at Home. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Pox | 377 | 339 | 14 | – | 24 |
| Scarlet Fever | 151 | 78 | 4 | – | 69 |
| Typhoid Fever | 43 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 28 |
| Diphtheria | 37 | – | 1 | 21 | 15 |
| Total | 608 | 424 | 20 | 28 | 136 |
With the exception of Small Pox these cases form only a
small proportion of the cases that actually occur in the district.
ISOLATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Of the nine principal Zymotic Diseases, three -viz., Measles,
Whooping Cough, and Diarrhoea, are unprovided for; and six
—viz., Small Pox, Scarlet Fever, Continued Fever, Typhus
Fever, Enteric Fever, and Diphtheria, are isolated where possible
by removal to hospital. The last two, if not four, are
admitted into general hospitals, and the first five are
admitted into the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Sooner or later it is hoped that the last will also be admitted
into the Board's Hospitals; and, at the same time, it would be
very advisable to exclude all of these diseases from general
hospitals. The Asylums Board have resolved to remove all cases
of Small-Pox out of London to the Ships, so that the Metropolis
will be freo from the risks of treating this disease in the midst
of populous areas. Unfortunately this will not apply to the
Highgate Small-Pox Hospital on the confines of St, Pancras,
Highgate Small Pox Hospital and London Fever Hospital, both in
Islington Parish.