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 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]
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54
DIPHTHERIA.
440 patients were notified during 1913 as suffering from diphtheria or
membranous croup. Of these 49 were afterwards returned as not suffering
from this disease (all by the. Medical Superintendents of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board hospitals).
This gives the net number of cases of diphtheria notified during the year as
391, equal to an incidence rate of 1.76 per 1,000 population.
The number of deaths from diphtheria certified during the year was 19,
equal to a death rats of 0.08 per 1,000 population, and a case-mortality of 4.86
percent. of cases notified.
In the following table are set out the number of cases of diphtheria notified, the number of deaths, and the corresponding rates during the past ten years:—
| Year. | Number of Notifications. | Notification Rate per 1000 Population. | Number of Deaths. | Death Rate per 1000 Population. | Case- Mortality per cent. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 495 | 2.10 | 39 | 0.16 | 7.90 |
| 1904 | 338 | 1.43 | 40 | 0.17 | 11.80 |
| 1905 | 282 | 1.19 | 26 | 0.11 | 9.22 |
| 1906 | 275 | 1.16 | 0.09 | 8.00 | |
| 1907 | 345 | 1.45 | 28 | 0.12 | 8.12 |
| 1908 | 296 | 1.25 | 23 | 0.09 | 7.77 |
| 1909 | 315 | 1.33 | 28 | 0.12 | 8.89 |
| 1910 | 262 | 1.10 | 20 | 0.08 | 7.63 |
| 1911 | 419 | 1.77 | 37 | 0.15 | 8.83 |
| 1912 | 550 | 2.50 | 26 | 0.11 | 4.73 |
| 1913 | 440 (391) | 1.98 (1.76) | 19 | 0.08 | 4.31 (4.86) |
The figures in brackets are corrected for errors of diagnosis. The other figures are not corrected.
It will be seen that there were fewer deaths from diphtheria in 1913 than in
any former year. This is due to the decrease in the case-mortality, which has
been much reduced during the last two years.
On pages 23-26 will be found set out for diphtheria:—
(a) The age and sex distribution of the cases.
(b) The number of cases notified and deaths certified in each week of the
year.
(c) The distribution of the cases and deaths in Registration Sub-Districts.
(d) The number of cases notified during the year in the several
politan Boroughs and in the County of London.
The St. Pancras (uncorrected) notification-rate of diphtheria for 1913 was
exceeded by Woolwich, Greenwich, Lewisham, Deptford, Paddington, and
Poplar. The other Metropolitan Boroughs had lower rates than St. Pancras.