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

London County Council 1905

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Age-poriod.0—1—2_3—4—Under 5.o—10—15 and upwards.All ages.
Poplar20351444773––80
Southwark32712711111523—–155
Bermondsey12281073602—163
Lambeth18402074896—–95
Battersea3355184111216—–127
Wandsworth14421186816__87
Camberwell9421494783—–81
Deptford563——142—–16
Greenwich493—1171—–18
Lewisham814653363_241
Woolwich73—2—121—–13
London405722281135911,63469141,708

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In the absence of the requirement of notification of cases of measles, the only knowledge as
to the number of cases of this disease occurring, is based upon the information which medical officers
of health receive from teachers in the elementary schools, supplemented by such further information
as they obtain as the result of inquiries at houses to which their attention is directed, either by the
teachers or by the death returns. In the majority of the annual reports the number of cases thus
brought to knowledge is stated, and this number amounts to 5 per 1,000 of the population.
The mean case rate based on 20 years notifications of measles in Aberdeen was approximately
16 per 1,000. The fact, therefore, that the London figure of 1905 is nearly one-third of the
mean figure obtained by notification in Aberdeen is matter for satisfaction. With annual variations
of prevalence and fatality such as occur in measles these figures must, of course, not be thought of as
being more than suggestive.

Table: The annual reports of medical officers of health give but little information as to the age of attack of cases coming under their cognisance, but the following figures are supplied by the reports of Dr. Reginald Dudfield, of Paddington, and of Dr. Newman, of Finsbury :—

The annual reports of medical officers of health give but little information as to the age of attack of cases coming under their cognisance, but the following figures are supplied by the reports of Dr. Reginald Dudfield, of Paddington, and of Dr. Newman, of Finsbury :—

Age-period.0—1—2_3—4—
Paddington102215198243312
Finsbury477573106103
Total149290271349415

Table: Dr. Reginald Dudfield groups the Paddington cases at the older age, thus—

Dr. Reginald Dudfield groups the Paddington cases at the older age, thus—

5—13 years.13—15 years.15 and above.
6021032
Dr. Newman sub-divides the 47 Finsbury cases under one year of age as follows :—
0—3 months.3—6 months.6—9 months.9—12 months.
—71921
and classifies the cases over 4 years of age thus—
5—10 years.10—15 years.
1561

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Figures showing the age distribution and fatality of measles in Aberdeen, during 20 years in which
notification has been compulsory, have recently been published by Dr. George N. Wilson,1 from which
the following have been extracted:—

Table: Measles—Aberdeen.

Measles—Aberdeen.

Age.Number of cases.Attack-rate per 1,000 population at each age.Number of deaths.Fatality. Per cent.Age.Number of cases.Attack-rate per 1,000 population at each age.Number of deaths.Fatality. Per cent.
0—3,03443.742613.99—67211.34.6
1—5,22285.652610.010—4066.71.2
2—5,19585.61783.411—2594.5——
3—5,05379.3821.612—2414.1——
4—4,83675.443.913—1692.921.2
5—5,35286.335.714—1502.6——
6—4,62875.221.515-257621.47.9
7—2,81847.314.525-60312.332.6
8—1,25821.05.460+7.03––

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The fatality of measles at "all ages" in Aberdeen during this period was 3.33 per cent., which
if applied to the 1,709 deaths which occurred in London in 1905, would represent about 11 cases per
1,000 of population.
1 Measles: Its Prevention and Mortality in Aberdeen. Public LLealth, Vol. XVIII.