Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]
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Whooping Cough was, next to Diarrhoea, the most fatal
cause of death, 17 dying therefrom. It is believed to be a
Micro-Paristic disease, the poison of which more especially affects
the nervous system, with few exceptions the sufferers are solely
children and persons of tender years. I think it is the duty of the
Medical Officer to see that on recovery or death the clothing, and
the room with its contents are properly disinfected.
It is very satisfactory to note only 2 deaths from
Typhoid Fever, one at Willesden and the other a child under 5 in
Acton Parish.
Diarrhoea carried off 17 persons, 13 being children
under 5 years of age, and improper feeding was the primary cause
in many cases.
Puerperal Fever caused 4 deaths, but only one case was
notified to the Medical Officer.
NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS
DISEASES.
There was 167 cases notified as against 340 in 1893, the
following table gives the number reported each year since the act
came into force.