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
Finsbury 1902
Report on the public health of 1902
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64
ENTERIC FEVER.
In Finsbury during 1902 there were only 77 cases of Typhoid
or Enteric Fever. In 1901 there were 65 cases. There was in
1902, 1 death in the district and 8 deaths among the 69 cases
removed to hospital for treatment. The total number of deaths
was therefore only 9, giving a death rate of 0.09 per 1,000, and
a percentage mortality of 11.7 on the total number of cases.
The age distribution of the cases was as follows :—
| Ages | Under 5 | 5-14 | 15-30 | Above 30 | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | 1 | 16 | 20 | 8 | 45 |
| Females | 1 | 12 | 15 | 4 | 32 |
| Total | 2 | 28 | 35 | 12 | 77 |
Of these 77 notifications 10 were received in the first quarter,
12 in the second, 31 in the third, and 24 in the fourth.
The two common characteristics of Enteric Fever, namely, that
it attacks young adults and that it appears more frequently in the
autumn, are illustrated by the cases which occurred in Finsbury
in 1902. But the autumnal rise was much less marked than is
usual.
There was not at any time during the year any sign of an outbreak
of the disease, nor is there evidence that Enteric Fever has
been conveyed by water or milk. Careful enquiries have been
instituted in each case notified, and in 44 cases it has been
possible approximately to discover the probable source of infection.
One of these was a soldier returned from South Africa with
typhoid. There is some evidence to show that the remaining 43
cases were caused as follows :—