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 1890

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]

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22
The disinfection completed a Certificate is given to the patient or the person
in charge that it has been done satisfactorily. But as Certificates of Disinfection
cannot be given to all the members of a family, and to all the occupiers of a house,
a foot-note is appended requesting the person requiring the certificate not to
confiscate it, so that it is available for the other occupants of the house.
It may be added that the disinfectors are provided with printed counterfoil
lists of articles to be disinfected or destroyed, which are filled up and are signed
before removal and after return. Also with counterfoil receipts for fees paid for
disinfection over night.
The practical effect of the Notification Act during the year has been to bring
to the knowledge of the Health Department nearly three times the number of
cases of infectious diseases as compared with the previous year, although during
the last two months of that year the Act was in force, this has entailed a large increase
of work.
ISOLATION.

Table: The cases of Infectious Diseases removed to hospitals and the Sub-Districts whence they were removed, are recorded in the following table for 1890:—

The cases of Infectious Diseases removed to hospitals and the Sub-Districts whence they were removed, are recorded in the following table for 1890:—

Diseases Isolated.Regent's Park.Tottenham Court.Gray's Inn Lane.Somers Town.Camden Town.Kentish Town.Total.
Small pox....l3....4
Cholera..............
Diphtheria or MembranousCroup83815144896
Erysipelas..............
Scarlatina or Scarlet Fever6130906124121387
Typhus Fever..............
Typhoid or Enteric Fever12..231018
Relapsing Fever..•............
Continued Fever..............
Puerperal Fever..............
Totals7035998141179505

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Whereas more than one half of the cases of Scarlet Fever occurring during
the year were treated in hospitals, less than one fourth of the Diphtheria cases
were so treated, and only about one eighth of the Enteric Fever cases. The last
is of less importance, for although attendants upon typhoid cases, if young adults,
are very liable to contract the disease it is not highly infectious, but Diphtheria is
a highly infectious disease, not only through direct aerial medium but also
indirectly through fomites as clothing, furniture, and surfaces generally, to which
the infection tenaciously clings.
The Notification Act has resulted in the transference to hospital of more than
twice the number of infectious cases so treated in the previous year. The regulations
of the Ambulance Service of the Metropolitan Asylums Board are set out in
your Medical Officer's Annual report for 1889.
VACCINATION.
The following are the returns of vaccination kindly supplied by the Vaccination
Officers, Messrs. Richards and Webb.