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
Dagenham 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
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52
Return Cases
The following table analyses the particulars of Return Case
| Day on which Primary case removed. | In hospital from onset. | Day after return home on which Secondary infected. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 36 | 4 | 3 other children un-affected. |
| 4 | 44 | 4 | Remaining 2 children affected. |
| 5 | 62 | 5 | |
| 2 | 36 | 13 | All members of fam-ily not protected by previous attack were affected. |
| 3 | 32 | 16 |
i.e. No. of infecting cases 5.
No. of infected cases in 3 instances only 1: in 2others
more than one either as direct return case, or as
secondary to return case.
l or the purpose of estimating the value of removal to the
isolation hospital as a factor in limiting the spread of infection,
a comparison is made of the extent of secondary
infection occurring in the two classes of cases, and also
talcing into consideration the return cases following hospital
treatment. Strictly in assessing the value of removal w
hospital, and considering the extent of secondary infection
ot home treated cses, one should exclude all the cases aniongst
those home treated cases in which infection would have occurred
even had isolation facilities been available. For purposes
of comparison, however, the only classes of cases not included
are those in which the secondary case was diagnosed at the
same time as, or before, the primary one.
Amongst the home treated there were 17 instances
secondary infection (with 17 actual cases) occurring in 160
homes with a susceptible population (children under 15) of 373
(366 over 15).
In the case of hospital removed patients, 7 patients gave
rise to 7 cases in 87 homes, with a susceptible population of
280 (209 over 15). In addition, in the same population there
were 5 patients returned from hospital giving rise to 10 inlections.
It would therefore seem that removal to hospital
does little to limit the spread of infection.