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
Shoreditch 1902
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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21
gradually diminishes until the persons become again liable to take the disease. These
attacks in vaccinated persons are generally slight if they occur within from ten to
fifteen years after vaccination; if, however, they occur later on in life when the effect
of the vaccination has entirely disappeared they may be, and frequently are, just as
severe as those in unvaccinated persons. Re-vaccination renews the protection
which, however, as after primary vaccination tends to diminish with the lapse of time.
Enquiry was made in every case as to whether the patient had been vaccinated
or not. The word of the patient or patient's friends has been taken, though in many
instances the patients' arms were examined for the presence or absence of scars. The
information obtained may be taken as being practically correct. The cases have
been divided into three classes: one including the patients who had been
vaccinated prior to exposure to infection; a second including the patients concerning
whom it was doubtful as to whether they had been vaccinated or not; and the third
including the patients who had not been vaccinated before exposure to infection.
The results of the enquiries made are set forth in the subjoined Table:—
| Age Periods. | Vaccinated prior to exposure to infection. | Doubtful as to Vaccination. | Unvaccinated prior to exposure to infection. | Total Cases and Mortality. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | Deaths. | M'rtal'y per c'nt. | Cases. | Deaths. | M'rtal'y per c'nt. | Cases. | Deaths. | M'rtal'y per c'nt. | Cases. | Deaths. | M'rtal'y per c'nt. | |
| Under 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 9 | 75 | 12 | 9 | 75 |
| 1 to 5 | — | - | — | — | - | — | 37 | 14 | 37.8 | 37 | 14 | 37.8 |
| 5 to 10 | 6 | — | — | 1 | - | — | 40 | 12 | 30 | 47 | 12 | 25.5 |
| 10 to 15 | 23 | 1 | 4.3 | - | - | — | 27 | 8 | 29.6 | 50 | 9 | 18 |
| 15 to 20 | 40 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 100 | 13 | 7 | 53.8 | 54 | 8 | 14.8 |
| Total under 20 | 69 | 1 | 1.4 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 129 | 50 | 38.7 | 200 | 52 | 26 |
| 20 to 25 | 38 | 3 | 7.8 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 50 | 43 | 5 | 11.6 |
| 25 to 30 | 51 | 7 | 13.7 | — | — | - | 3 | 2 | 66.6 | 54 | 9 | 16.6 |
| 30 to 35 | 31 | 7 | 22.5 | - | - | - | 2 | — | — | 33 | 7 | 21.2 |
| 35 to 40 | 29 | 2 | 6.9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 29 | 2 | 6.9 |
| 40 to 50 | 35 | 3 | 8.5 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 37 | 5 | 13.5 |
| 50 to 60 | 11 | 1 | 9.0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 1 | 8.3 |
| 60 to 70 | 11 | 1 | 9.0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 1 | 9.0 |
| 70 to 80 | 10 | 1 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Total from 20 to 80 | 216 | 25 | 11.5 | 3 | 1 | 33.3 | 10 | 5 | 50 | 229 | 31 | 13.5 |
| Grand Totals. | 285 | 26 | 9.1 | 5 | 2 | 40 | 139 | 55 | 39.5 | 429 | 83 | 19.3 |
In the above table are included the 19 cases which occurred amongst the
inhabitants of Shoreditch during the last four months of 1901, the particulars concerning
which are contained in the annual report for that year.