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
Erith 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Erith]
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3
Infectious Disease.
There were 240 cases of infectious disease notified during the year, a decrease
of 86 as compared with the previous year. Of these 150 were Scarlet Fever, 44
Diphtheria, 19 Erysipelas, 11 Enteric Fever, and 16 Phthisis.
The decrease is due mainly to a decrease in the number of Diphtheria cases ;
only 44 were notified during 1907 as compared with 106 in 1906, when the disease
was prevalent over the whole district. The number of Scarlet Fever cases is
practically the same as in 1906. Many of the cases are extremely mild in character,
and I have no doubt that the disease is spread chiefly by mild cases that escape
detection, owing to the absence of a rash or any sore throat.
The Notification of cases of Phthisis is voluntary.
Comparative returns of Infectious diseases notified during the past ten years, viz.:—
| 1898. | 1899. | 1900. | 1901. | 1902. | T9°3- | 1904. | 1905. | 1906. | 1907. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-pox | 92 | 228 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| Diphtheria | 125 | 76 | 71 | 29 | 62 | 38 | 52 | 59 | 106 | 44 |
| Membranous Croup | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| Erysipelas | 9 | 21 | 18 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 33 | 29 | 35 | 19 |
| Scarlet Fever | 48 | 65 | 67 | 41 | 57 | 53 | 98 | 163 | 145 | 150 |
| Enteric Fever | 23 | 15 | 28 | 48 | 34 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 29 | 11 |
| Puerperal Fever | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| Chicken-pox | 187 | 8 | ||||||||
| Phfhisis | 10 | 16 | ||||||||
| 6 mths. | ||||||||||
| 208 | 177 | 188 | 235 | 595 | 140 | 199 | 269 | 326 | 240 |
Sanatorium.
During the year 126 cases were admitted, viz.:—102 Scarlet Fever, 2 Enteric
Fever, 22 Diphtheria.
Two tables are attached, one showing the number of patients treated during the year, the second giving the comparative returns of admissions for the past 6 years.
| Scarlet Fever. | Enteric Fever. | Diphtheria. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Hospital, January 1st, 1907 | 3 | 3 | — | 6 |
| Admitted during year | 102 | 2 | 22 | 126 |
| Discharged during year | 79 | 5 | 20 | 104 |
| Died during year | 1 | — | 2 | 3 |
| In Hospital, December 31st, 1907 | 25 | - | - | 25 |