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

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Lewisham 1906

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]

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55
NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The infectious diseases notifiable under Section 55 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, are:—Small.Pox, Cholera,
Diphtheria, Membranous Croup, Erysipelas, the diseases known
as Scarlatina or Scarlet Fever, and the Fevers known by any of
the following names:—Typhus, Typhoid, Enteric, Relapsing,
Continued or Puerperal.
The total number of cases notified during the year
amounted to 945, of which number 731, or 77 per cent., were
removed for isolation to the Metropolitan Asylums Board's
Hospitals or other Institutions. In 35 instances, or 4.78 per
cent. of the cases removed, the Hospital authorities returned
the patient as not. suffering from any infectious disease. Deducting
these from the gross total, we have a corrected total
of 910 cases of infectious disease notified as occurring in the
Borough during the year, an increase of 60 over the number
notified in the preceding year, which was 850. In 1904, 552
cases were notified, and in 1903, 832.
Age Periods.—47.8 per cent. of the Scarlet Fever cases,
compared with 50 per cent. in 1905, and 54.9 per cent. of the
Diphtheria cases, compared with 50 per cent. in 1905, occurred
among children aged six years and under.

The following figures show the percentage of cases occur. ing among children of the age of six years and under to the total notifications of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria:—

Age.Scarlet Fever.Diphtheria.
190419051906.1904.1905.1906.
6 years and under54%50%47.8%44%50%54.9%
5 „44%36%39%40%42%44.6%
4 „29%25%28%34%34%32%