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
Deptford 1918
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford, Metropolitan Borough of]
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A serious epidemic occurred throughout the Borough, especially during the third and fourth quarters of the year, as shown by a total of 338 deaths certified as due to this disease. Arranged quarterly, the mortality figures are:—1st quarter, 3; 2nd quarter, 7; 3rd quarter, 12; 4th quarter, 316 ; total, 338. Details as to the age and sex distribution are shown as follows :—
| Age Period. | Males. | Females. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 yr. | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| 1-2 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 2-5 | 14 | 13 | 27 |
| 5-10 | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| 10-15 | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| 15-20 | 5 | 14 | 19 |
| 20-25 | 8 | 27 | 35 |
| 25-35 | 33 | 51 | 84 |
| 35-45 | 21 | 25 | 46 |
| 45-55 | 22 | 9 | 31 |
| 55-65 | 12 | 15 | 27 |
| 65-75 | 9 | 5 . | 14 |
| 75-85 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 85 & over | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals | 151 | 187 | 338 |
It will be noticed that the highest mortality was in the age-period
25 to 45 years, and also that infants under one year suffered severely.
The disease was not confined to any one district. All observations
pointed to the fact that the less crowded and more sanitary areas
suffered as much as the more congested districts.
The death-rate for the different wards was as follows :—East, 2*7 ;
North, 3-0; North-west 3'5; South, 3'8; South-east 4-0; South-west, 3'2.
The death-rate for the whole borough was 3'3 per 1,000 of the estimated
population.
The disease not being compulsorily notifiable no statistics as to the
total number of cases of influenza are available, but judging from the
number of deaths the number must have been very large.
From interviews with the general practitioners the incubation period
seems to be very short (not more than 48 hours), and infection spreads
very rapidly, numerous instances being quoted of whole families or
groups of people being attacked at the same time.