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
Hackney 1903
Report on the sanitary condition of the Hackney District for the year 1903
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The deaths from scarlet fever numbered 20 during the year. This
is equivalent of 3.1 per cent. of those attacked, and .08 per 1,000
persons living. The number of cases of scarlet fever notified in the
whole of London during 1903 was 12,531, and the death-rate was .08
per 1,000 living.
Diphtheria and Membranous Croup.—During the year 1903
there were notified 533 cases of Diphtheria and 13 Membranous
Croup in the Borough. Of these, 40 cases were afterwards, at the
fever hospitals, found not to be cases of Diphtheria and 2 not to be
Membranous Croup. The total number of genuine cases is, therefore,
507 Diphtheria and 11 Membranous Croup.
The attack rate for diphtheritic disease for 1903 is 2.3 per 1,000 living persons. The following gives the numbers and rate of incidence of this disease in the different sub-districts.
| Sub-distriots. | North. | Central. | South-East. | South-West. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of cases of Diphtheria. | 60 | 138 | 209 | 100 |
| Ditto ditto, Membranous Croup. | _ | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| Total attack rate per 1000. | 1.15 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 1.6 |
Of the total notifications, 420. were removed to hospital. This
is equivalent to a percentage of 76.9.
Diphtheria has been prevalent in the Borough the whole year,
more so in the first half of the year than the latter half, and it has
been more prevalent in the central and south-east parts of the
Borough than elsewhere; but it has not been so prevalent as during
1902. The number of cases notified during that year was 673. The
deaths from this disease numbered, during 1903, no less than 48,
which is equivalent to a death-rate of 9.3 per cent. of persons
attacked, and .21 per 1,000 persons living.