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
Walthamstow 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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60
As will be seen from the above table, there were no outstanding
features. The number of cases during 1930 was slightly below the
five-year average (633), the age incidence was remarkably similar
to that of previous years, while the ward distribution showed a
relative increase in St. James' Street and Hoe Street Wards.
The highest and lowest percentage admissions to Hospital differ
only by 9 per cent. The figure for 1930 would have been higher
but for the fact that a Scarlet Fever ward had to be allocated to
Diphtheria during the autumn and so necessitating an increase in
home-nursed cases.
The number of fatal cases is relatively stationary, showing that
the disease retains its mild character. In fact, the whole picture
shows an equilibrium which one would expect to find with such a
population as is met with in the Borough.
The monthly incidence of the disease during 1930 was as follows:—
| Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May | June | July | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. James' Street | 22 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 162 |
| High Street | 23 | 6 | 25 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 101 |
| Hoe Street | 9 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 73 |
| Wood Street | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 65 |
| Hale End | 13 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 80 |
| Higham Hill | 17 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 126 |
| Total | 89 | 59 | 75 | 47 | 49 | 34 | 36 | 23 | 37 | 37 | 44 | 77 | 607 |
The death rate from Scarlet Fever during 1930 (per 1,000 living)
was 0.02—a figure shared by five other large towns in the London
"outer ring." The death-rate per 100 cases notified was 0.49.
The use of Scarlet Fever antitoxin is referred to under the report
dealing with the Sanatorium. Antitoxin was administered to several
adult cases and most cases with a temperature of over 102°F. on
admission. No use was made of Schick tests or of artificial
immunisation.