London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Fulham 1898
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year ending December 31st, 1898
This page requires JavaScript
14
1892, there being 61 deaths from the disease, giving a case mortality
of 12.8 per cent. as compared with 26.1 per cent. in 1893, 31.6 per
cent. in 1894, 20.0 per cent. in 1895, 22.0 per cent, in 1896, and 16.3
per cent, in 1897. Of the 386 patients removed to hospital 45 or
11.7 per cent. died, and of the 90 treated at home 16 or 17.7 per
cent. died.
The following Table shows the fatality at different age periods, of the cases treated at home and of those removed to hospital:—
| Age. | Cases removed to Hospital. | Cases treated at home. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Cases | Deaths. | Mortality per cent. | No. of Cases | Deaths. | Mortality per cent. | |
| 0—1 | 8 | 2 | 25.0 | 2 | – | – |
| 1—2 | 20 | 5 | 25.0 | 5 | 4 | 80.0 |
| 2—3 | 24 | 2 | 8.3 | 2 | 2 | 100.0 |
| 3-4 | 32 | 7 | 21.9 | 6 | 1 | 16.7 |
| 4—5 | 54 | 9 | 16.6 | 5 | 2 | 40.0 |
| 5—10 | 154 | 17 | 11.1 | 29 | 6 | 20.7 |
| 10—15 | 57 | 3 | 5.3 | 8 | – | – |
| 15—25 | 18 | – | – | 9 | – | – |
| 25—35 | 13 | – | – | 16 | – | – |
| 35-45 | 5 | – | – | 4 | – | – |
| 45—55 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 1 | 25.0 |
| Total | 386 | 45 | 11.7 | 90 | 16 | 17.7 |
It will be noticed that there was a larger proportion of adults
in whom the disease is much less fatal than in children, among
those treated at home than among those removed to hospital, and
the difference in the fatality of the disease in children under 10
treated in hospital and those treated at home is very marked, the
case mortality among the former being only 14.4 per cent. as
compared with 30.6 per cent. among the latter.
Judging by the results obtained in the hospitals of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board in cases that are treated with antitoxie
serum within 48 hours of the onset of the disease, the fatality of the
disease would be further reduced if cases were removed more
promptly.