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
Wandsworth 1893
Report on the health and sanitary condition of the several parishes comprised in the Wandsworth District during the year 1893
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196
Membranous
Croup
27 notifications of this disease were received as
compared with 12 last year. Of these 15 or 55.5 per cent. died.
None of these cases were removed to hospital.
Croup is always regarded as being laryngeal diphtheria, and is
a much more fatal disease occurring in that part of the respiratory
tract. From the following Table it will be seen that school
attendance cannot play the same part in its causation, as by far
the largest number of cases occurred in children under school ago:—
| Under 1. | 1 to 5. | 5 to 15. | 15 upwards. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | 1 | 18 | 7 | 1 |
| Deaths. | 1 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
In every case of Diphtheria and Membranous Croup careful
investigation was made for any sanitary defects, and in
48 cases defects were found. These were in every instance
remedied.
Enteric Fever. 39 cases were notified with 9 deaths, 10 cases were
removed to Hospital where 3 died, and 29 were treated at home
with 6 deaths.
Puerpera Fever, 6 cases were notified with 1 death.
Erysipelas. There was a large increase in the number of notified
cases of this disease, in comparison with the previous years. In
1891 the number notified was 90, and in 1892, 132, while this
year the number was 194. 9 deaths resulted as compared with 10
in the previous year.
Whooping Cough. The number of deaths from this was 26, 1.7 below
the corrected decennial average.
Diarrhoea. The total deaths were 37, 25 males and 12 females,
and in out-lying institutions 8, 5 males and 3 females. Of the 37
who died at home, 29 were of infants under 1 year, 7 from 1 to 5
years, and only 1 above the latter age.