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
Chelsea 1896
Annual report for 1896 of the Medical Officer of Health
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10
Section II.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Small.Pox.—Two cases of this disease were notified in Chelsea in
1896, but both proved to be chicken.pox. In 1895, there were 4 cases
of small.pox in Chelsea; in 1894 there were 12 cases; in 1893, 29
cases; and in 1892 four cases. In London, during 1896, 260 cases of
small.pox were notified, as against 1,076 cases in 1895, 1,391 cases in
1894, 2,933 cases in 1893, and 436 cases in 1892. In the 8 parishes
forming the western district of London, only 35 cases of small.pox were
notified in 1896, 14 of which belonged to Kensington.
| Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | Enteric Fever. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *London | 1895 | 1896 | 1895 | 1896 | 1895 | 1896 |
| 49 0 | 611 | 27.1 | 32.2 | 8.81 | 7.67 | |
| Chelsea | ||||||
| Kensington | 31.6 | 59.3 | 21.9 | 21.1 | 5.51 | |
| *Fulham | 38.5 | 57.0 | 42.4 | 315 | 7.09 | 5.10 |
| *Hammersmith | 40.2 | 53.5 | 21.0 | 21.4 | 6.07 | 509 |
| *Paddiugton | 37.4 | 68.5 | 20.9 | 20.6 | 6.19 | 5.46 |
| *St. George's,Hanover Square | 41.7 | 47.5 | 14.5 | 18.3 | 5.23 | 7.38 |
| *Westminster | 33.6 | 44.3 | 20.1 | 22.2 | 5.03 | 7.51 |
| *St. James's | 37.6 | 35.6 | 19.6 | 16.1 | 5.60 | 2.60 |
*uncorrected ior dual nouncations.
Table VII. shows the comparative prevalences of Scarlet Fever,
Diphtheria, and Enteric Fever in London, and in the western parishes
of London, in each of the years 1895 and 1896.
Scarlet Fever.—This disease was not quite so prevalent in Chelsea
in 1896 as in 1895. In the latter year Chelsea was the only western
parish that suffered from an excess of scarlet fever; whilst in 1896 the
incidence rate on Chelsea was exceeded by that of Kensington and
Paddington, and was nearly equalled by that of Fulham.
Out of the total of 566 cases in Chelsea, 26 occurred in the Duke of
York's Royal Military School. These cases were notified in the interval
between August 24th and November 3rd. In the parish generally the
disease became prevalent in July, the prevalence reaching its maximum
about the middle of October. Out of the total 566 cases, 389 or 69 per
cent. occurred in the 6 months, July to December. The fall in notified
cases following the closure of the schools in August was somewhat later
than usual, being most marked in the 33rd, 34th, 35th, and 36th weeks
of the year. In this period 41 cases of this disease only were notified,
as against 67 in the immediately preceding 4 weeks—a reduction of 39
per cent.