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
City of London 1922
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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7. This test shows that many cases which were formerly considered diphtheria,
and treated precautionarily as such, are relatively harmless.
8. The antidote in true diphtheria is extremely effective if applied early in
this disease.
The care taken and the means of cure at hand are such that the disease is
robbed of almost all its sting. If the repeated notifications are looked upon as
possibly comprising many cases of no pathological significance (I have no right to
look upon them so and would hesitate to make the suggestion) anxiety would be
further relieved, but an undeserved stigma would still stand by the ship and a
mort of worthless work be put in by way of disinfection and so forth.
If the repeated notifications are not so read, then there is a diphtheritic state
on the ship requiring every energy and resource available that it be put an end to.
I have recommended that the Metropolitan Asylums Board be approached by
your Worshipful Committee through the Town Clerk, urging a reconsideration
forthwith of the application—
1. Of the Schick test and
2. Of its corollary—immunisation of susceptibles found.
TABLE IX. —E nteric Fever (Typhoid and Paratyphoid).
| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry and Official No. | Where from. | No. of Cases | How dealt With. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922. | ||||
| Jan. 5 | ss. " Gascon," of Southampton, 106,907. | Durban | 1 | Admitted to Port San-tary Hospital. |
| „ 17 | ss. " Clan Urquhart," of Glasgow, 111,219. | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Colombo. |
| „ 24 | ss. " Intaba," of Aberdeen, 129,345. | Barbadoes | 1 | Proceeded home. |
| Feb. 6 | ss. " Kaisar-I-Hind," of Greenock, 128,653. | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Port Said. |
| Mar. 13 | ss. " City of Shanghai," of Liverpool, 140,533. | Calcutta | 1 | Admitted to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| „ 18 | ss. "Conway," of Newcastle, 118,636. | Jamaica | 1 | Landed at Antwerp. |
| Apr. 3 | ss. " Karmala," of Liverpool, 135,590. | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Aden. |
| „ 12 | ss. " Crane," of London, 118,457. | Genoa | 1 | Admitted to Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich. |
| May 3 | ss. " Sardinia," of Glasgow, 115,698. | Calcutta | 1 | Landed at Marseilles. |
| „ 22 | ss. " Orvieto," of Belfast, 129,628. | — | 1 | Landed at Southampton. |
| „ 25 | ss. " Chindwara," of Glasgow, 129,591. | Rangoon | 1 | Landed at Port Said. |
| June 3 | ss. " Ballarat," of Greenock, 145,596. | Australia | 1 | Admitted to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| „ 25 | ss. " Linmere," of Manchester, 135,357. | Africa | 1 | Ditto. |
| July 11 | ss. " Inneroy " (Norwegian) | Archangel | 1 | Ditto. |
| „ 23 | ss. " Moreton Bay," of Brisbane, 130,169. | Sydney | 2 | Landed at Fremantle. |
| „ 29 | ss. " Princessa," of Liverpool, 140,585. | Monte Video | 1 | Landed at Monte Video. |
| „ 29 | ss. " Malwa," of Greenock, 127,543. | Sydney | 1 | Admitted to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| Sep. 26 | ss. " Morea," of Glasgow, 128,235. | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Plymouth. |
| Oct. 8 | ss. " Clan Monroe," of Glasgow, 141,882. | Calcutta | 1 | Landed at Madras. |
| „ 13 | ss. " City of Agra," of Liverpool, 118,053. | Ditto | 1 | Landed at Colombo. |
| „ 16 | ss. " Kaisar-I-Hind," of Greenock, 128,653. | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Bombay. |
| „ 21 | ss. " Morea," of Glasgow, 128,235. | Ditto | 1 | Admitted to Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich. |
| Carried forward | 23 |