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 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The number of houses in which more than one case of measles occurred is shown in the reports
relating to Paddington and Hampstead:
Paddington. Hampstead.
Houses with 2 cases 130 31
„ 3 „ 55 13
„ 4 „ 15 4
„ 5 „ 6 2
„ 9 „ 1 -
The annual reports give account of the efforts which are being made to impress upon the
public the need for precautions in dealing with measles; these efforts in the main consist of the
distribution of appropriate literature and personal visits to houses which are known to be invaded.
In several of the reports mention is made of the large part infant schools play in the dissemination
of measles, and the majority of the reports give account of the closure of classes and infant departments
with a view to the limitation of measles prevalence.
In Dr. Kerr's report (pages 44-7, Appendix V.) is shown the method adopted to limit measles'
infection in the schools with the least disturbance of education. The principle adopted is to make
the closure of class-rooms when measles appears among the pupils depend upon the number of children
who have not already passed through this malady, and who are, therefore, presumably susceptible
to attack. The exclusion of susceptible children in preference to class closure has often been found to be
the more profitable course; and it has further been observed that school closure to be useful, must be
effected when the existence of the disease among the pupils first manifests itself, and before there is
infection of the class from the earliest cases. Dr. Kerr states that the experience of Woolwich, where
for five years effort has been made to determine the conditions under which the method of school closure,
or exclusion of susceptible children can be more usefully employed, has justified the application to all
the elementary schools in London of the principles deduced from that enquiry.
Scarlet Fever.
The cases of scarlet fever notified in the Administrative County of London during 1908 (53 weeks)
numbered 22,072, compared with 25,925 in 1907 (52 weeks). The number of deaths registered from
this cause was 548 in the year 1908 (53 weeks), compared with 644 in 1907 (52 weeks).
The scarlet fever case-rates, death-rates and case-mortality for 1908 and preceding periods are
shown in the following table:—
| Period. | Death-rate per 1,000 persons living. | Case-rate per 1,000 persons living. | Case-mortality per cent. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1861-70 | 1.13 | -1 | -1 |
| 1871-80 | 0.60 | -1 | -1 |
| 1881-90 | 0.33 | -1 | -1 |
| 1891-1900 | 0.192 | 4.8 | 3.8 |
| 1901 | 0.132 | 4.1 | 3.2 |
| 1902 | 0.122 | 3.9 | 3.1 |
| 1903 | 0.082 | 2.7 | 2.9 |
| 1904 | 0.082 | 2.9 | 2.7 |
| 1905 | 0.122 | 4.2 | 2.8 |
| 1906 | 0.112 | 4.3 | 2.6 |
| 1907 | 0.142 | 5.5 | 2.5 |
| 1908 | 0.112 | 4.5 | 2.5 |
The death-rate in each year since 1858 in relation to the mean death-rate of the period 18591908
will be seen on reference to diagram IX.
The monthly case-rate and case-mortality in each of the years 1891-1908 in relation to the
mean of the whole period is shown in diagram XI.
It will be seen from the following table that in the decennium 1898-1907 the London scarlet
fever death-rate was lower than that of any of the undermentioned English towns, except Bristol,
West Ham and Hull, and in 1908 was exceeded by the death-rates of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham,
West Ham and Salford:-
1 The Infectious Disease (Notification) Act came into force in 1889.
2 See footnote (1), page 8.