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
Ilford 1919
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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Number of deaths in Isolation Hospital:—
| Diphtheria | 5 |
| Enteric Fever | 1 |
| Influenzal Pneumonia | 10 |
| Abscess of the Breasts | 1 |
| Cerebro-Spinal Fever | 1 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 3 |
| Tubercular Meningitis | 1 |
| Hemiplegia | 1 |
| Marasmus (Ophthalmia Neonatorum | |
| Patient) | 1 |
Number of patients remaining in Hospital on 1st January 1920:—
| Scarlet Fever | 54 |
| Diphtheria | 15 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 7 |
The following' shows the average length of stay of patients
in Hospital:—
Scarlet Fever 45.3 days.
Diphtheria 30.2 ,,
Pulmonary Tuberculosis 67.0 ,,
Average stay in Hospital of all
cases 40.2 ,,
The above averages are based on cases that completed their
stay in Hospital during the year 1919.
Average number of patients in Hospital per day 49.9
Influenzal Pneumonia.
Of 15 cases admitted during the year no less than 10 died.
Whilst the chief cause of this high mortality is the very
fatal character of the disease, I think the removal of such cases
to Hospital is also a factor, and in my opinion no case should
be removed unless the home conditions make it absolutely imperative.
Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria
The results in these diseases were satisfactory. No death
from Scarlet Fever occurred, while from Diphtheria five deaths
only occurred. These were cases coming late under treatment. Any
delay in the injection of serum in a case of diphtheria detracts
from the chance of recovery and may make a fatal result inevitable.