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 Merton & Morden]
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Diphtheria. For the fourth year in succession the district
has experienced a very low attack rate for diphtheria.
Twenty-eight cases were notified compared with 22 in the
year before and the incidence per 1,000 population was 0.41
compared with the rate for the country as a whole, of 1.58.
In the course of the investigations into cases, two other
persons were found to be "carriers" of the infection. A third
was detected by routine swabbing prior to admission to a
convalescent home. Two were nasal and one a throat
"carrier."
Two deaths resulted from diphtheria, a boy of four years
and a girl of eight. Both died on the fifth day of the illness.
This gives a death rate for this district of 0.02 per thousand
population.
TABLE XXIII. DIPHTHERIA, .1938—WARD INCIDENCE.
Wards. | Cases. | Rate per 1,000 population 1938. |
---|---|---|
Abbey | 1 | 0.1 |
Bushey Mead | 5 | 0.6 |
Central | 5 | 0.5 |
Morden | 4 | 0.5 |
Park | – | – |
Ravensbury | 3 | 0.3 |
Raynes Park | – | – |
St. Helier | 5 | 0.4 |
West Barnes | 5 | 0.7 |
Whole district | 28 | 0.38 |