Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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Concurrent Infections occurred as follows:—
Diphtheria and concurrent Scarlet Fever | 7 |
Diphtheria and concurrent Measles | 3 |
Diphtheria and concurrent Whooping Cough | 1 |
Deaths.
Eight deaths occurred from Diphtheria as follows:—
(a) Four cases of very severe Diphtheria (faucial). In one of
these, the patient, a Woman aged 42 years died a few hours
after admission to hospital. The death certificate was
issued by the Coroner, after a Post Mortem examination.
(b) Faucial and Nasal Diphtheria accounted for two deaths. In
both cases there was very severe toxaemia.
(c) Two cases of Diphtheria and concurrent Measles proved
fatal. The association of Diphtheria and Measles is well
known and these cases serve to emphasise its importance,
two out of three cases with this double infection having a
fatal termination.
Serum administered:
Units | 8,000 | 16,000 | 24,00 | 32,000 | 48.000 up. | Totals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | 12 | 35 | 47 | 45 | 144 |
4 cases, being carriers, and not cases of clinical Diphtheria, did
not receive serum.
The Serum reaction rate was 25.67 per cent.
Post Diphtheritic complications occurred as follows:—
Palatal paralysis, Pharyngeal paralysis, Diaphragmatic paralysis,
Ciliary paralysis, Myocarditis, Arhythmia, and Others.
Complications occurred in 35 patients, all of whom recovered
giving a complications rate of 25 per cent. Complications
occurred in eight fatal cases. The total complications rate was
25.13 per cent.
Scarlet Fever.
During the year 234 patients were admitted as compared
with 336 during 1937. 23 patients remained under treatment at
the end of the Year. The type of disease on the whole continues
to be mild with occasional severe cases occurring.