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
Edmonton 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Edmonton]
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The following table gives the percentage of hospital isolation to cases notified, for the past five years.
| 1904. | 1905. | 1906. | 1907. | 1908. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 72.9 | 80.7 | 88.00 | 82.25 | 89.28 |
| Diphtheria | 50.0 | 54.0 | 77.42 | 86.31 | 78.48 |
| Enteric Fever | 57.9 | 68.0 | 64.00 | 82.75 | 69.44 |
I had hoped to incorporate here particulars from the Medical Superintendent's
Report of the work of the Joint Isolation Hospital during 1908
as far as Edmonton patients are concerned, but as his Report usually covers
a period from March to March, it is therefore of no service to us. This is
unfortunate, as no monthly nor other regular reports of the work of the
liospital reach either the Sanitary Committee or the Council of Edmonton.
Return Cases. In 1905 there were only nine cases, in 1906 thirty.
three cases, in 1907 twenty-nine cases, and in 1908 twenty cases. As last
year, I have omitted all cases where the interval between the discharge of the
previous case and the onset of the next one was more than 30 days.
Cross Infection? I am glad to say that there were no diphtheria
return cases, but from March to May (inclusive) thirteen cases of diphtheria
were removed from seven houses, all under similar circumstances, viz., a relative
had returned home after treatment in our Hospital for Scarlet Fever.
For particulars, see special table.
| No. of Cases. | Notified by a Practitioner as | Certified to have died in Hospital of |
|---|---|---|
| One | Enteric Fever | Pleurisy. |
| One | Scarlet Fever | Scarlet Fever and Croup. |
| Three | Diphtheria | Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever. |
| *One | „ | Measles. |
| One | „ | Croup. |
| *One | „ | Scarlet Fever. |
| One | Membranous Croup | Catarrhal Laryngitis. |
In all these cases I have drawn the attention of the notifying practitioner
to the death certificate, and refusal to withdraw or alter notification having
been made (except in two cases marked*), I have recorded the case as one
such as the practitioner notified to me.