London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Croydon 1908

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

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33
Puerperal Fever occurred twice in cases attended by midwives
who were suspended from practice for two and six days respectively
until their clothing and outfits were cleansed and disinfected.
In five of the nine cases Condy's fluid was used by the nurse to
disinfect the patient, in one perchloride of mercury was used, and in
one where a midwife only attended ignorance of antisepsis was
shown.
Five cases ended fatally.
ERYSIPELAS was notified on 60 occasions, and five cases ended
fatally.
TUBERCULOSIS of all forms was the assigned cause of death
in 198 instances, or 1*3 per 1,000 persons living, while phthisis
alone was responsible for 150 deaths, or "95 per 1,000.
It will be seen from Table VI. that there is a slight decline in
the mortality from phthisis. The precautions taken against the
spread of tuberculosis in Croydon are, briefly, as follows:—

Voluntary notification has been in force since the last quarter of 1903. The number of cases since notified in each year was as follows :—

Year.Cases Notified.
1903 (part of)57
1904129
190575
190696
190783
1908106

(I) On receipt of a notification each case is visited by one
of the medical officers who instructs the patient as to the precautions
to be taken to avoid the spread of infection and
arranges for the disinfection of the premises where necessary.
If thought advisable, all notified cases are visited once a quarter
by one of the Health Visitors.
It will again be noticed that we have a very imperfect
knowledge of the amount of pulmonary tuberculosis occurring
in the Borough, probably not more than 1-5th of the cases of
phthisis are at present notified, and until treatment can be
secured for at least a proportion of the cases, it does not seem
probable that this number will be increased.