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
Croydon 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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112
DIPHTHERIA.
236 cases were admitted with a diagnosis of diphtheria, an
increase of 74 cases on 1932. Of these 12 were found not to be
cases of diphtheria and 34 were positive swabs without clinical
symptoms, leaving 190 cases of true diphtheria as against 115 true
cases in 1932.
Analysis of the 190 diphtheria cases:—
| Faucial diphtheria | 153 |
| Nasal diphtheria | 19 |
| Laryngeal diphtheria | 15 |
| Faucial and nasal diphtheria | 2 |
| Faucial and laryngeal diphtheria | 1 |
| 190 |
Of the 15 laryngeal cases tracheotomy was necessary in 7 cases
and 4 died, one being moribund on admission, and two dying subsequently
from heart failure and intercurrent disease.
The following complications and sequelae occurred amongst the diphtheria patients:—
| Adenitis | 11 | Quinsy | 3 |
| Otorrhœa | 6 | Paralysis: Ocular | 3 |
| Rhinorrhœa | 15 | Paralysis: Palatal | 5 |
| Secondary sore throat | 12 | Paralysis diaphragm and intercostals | 1 |
| Albuminuria | 3 | Paralysis: Facial | 1 |
| Cardiac failure | 12 |
In 5 cases the disease was not confirmed and 7 were other
diseases, viz.—
1 bronchitis. 1 measles.
3 tonsillitis. 1 simple laryngitis.
1 pneumococcal septicæmia.