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
Bexley 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bexley]
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The Lower Hospital , used for the isolation of diphtheric patients
was closed during the following periods, viz:Januery
1st to 18th.
February 8th to 11th.
March 4th to May 20th.
June 4th to December 8th,
The Upper Hospital was also closed (So far as patients were concerned)
as follows, viz:-
February 5th to 17th.
April 16th to May 5th.
June 7th to 12th.
July 24th to August 1st.
September 10th to 23rd.
The approximate expenses of maintenance of the Ho
'Spital compared
| £ | £ | |
|---|---|---|
| Provisions | 107 | 84 |
| Attendant & Pettjr Cash (including Temporary ITurses) | 63 | 55 |
| Fuel | 15 | 14 |
| ITurses (excluding Temporary ITurses) | 58 | 58 |
| Medical Sundries | 5 | 3 |
| Disinfectants | 6 | 5 |
| Miscellaneous end repairs | 81 | 26 |
| Telephone | 7 | 6 |
| Medical superintendent | 25 | 25 |
| £367 | £276 |
In consequence of the expression of opinion by the Local Government
Board above mentioned,the Council communicated with the Metropolitan Asylums
Board with a view to the withdrawal of their notice terminating the arrangement
for isolation by the Board of cases of small-pox from the Council's area.
The Board declined to renew the arrangement, but agreed to deal with one or
two sporadic cases of the disease in case of need. Taking into
ation the fact that smallpox is little to be feared in this District except
as a consequence of the proximity of the Metropolitan Asylums Board's Hospitals
I do not advise the Council to be quite satisfied with this decision of the
Board, more particularly as I am informed that the Board give facilities to an
adjoining District, having no greater claim than Bexley, for isolation of
all cases of small-pox.
During the year the Council decided to adopt the notification of
Births Act 1S07, end to bring same into operation after 1st April 1914. At
the end of the year arrangements for the appointment of a Female Health
Visitor for the purposes of the Act were under consideration.
The following adoptive Acts ere in force in the District:-
Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1890.
Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1907 (except Sections, 50,61,66,
78 to 86, 92,93 and 94).
Infectious Disease Prevention Act 1890.
The Bacteriological Laboratory established by the Kent County Council
was made use of on several occasions during the year for work in connection
with Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria, and other cases.
(D) PREVALENCE OF AND C0NTRCL 0 VSR ACUTE INFECTIONS DISEASE. The following
| 1912. | 1913. | |
|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever. | 48 | 35 |
| Diphtheria. | 23 | 12 |
| Erysipelas. | 7 | 13 |
| Puerperal Fever. | 2 | |
| Tuberculosis. | 24 | 38 |
| Poliomyelitis. | _2_ | |
| 106 | 98 | |
| 20 deaths were caused by Zvaotia diseases, viz:- | ||
| 1912. | 1913. | |
| Measles. | 1 | 9 |
| Diphtheria. | 2 | 2 |
| Whopping Cough. | 4 | 1 |
| Diarrhoea, | 3 | 8 |
| 10 | 20 | |
giving a Zymotic Death Hate of 1.17 per 1000 of the population. The corresponding
figure for 1912 was .6