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 1905
Report on the sanitary condition of the Hackney District for the year 1905
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diphtheritic disease during the year. This is equivalent to an
attack rate of 1.5 per 1,000 living persons. This shows a considerable
decline in the prevalence of this disease upon that during
1904, the attack rate for this latter year being 2.4 per 1,000 living
persons.
The incidence of the disease continued low during the whole of
the year, as may be seen in the accompanying chart.
The following shows the distribution of diphtheritic disease in the various sub-districts of the Borough during 1905:—
| Sub-districts. | North. | Central. | South-East. | South-West. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Cases of Diphtheria. | 58 | 101 | 136 | 77 |
| Do. do., Membranous Croup. | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Total attack rate per 1000. | 11 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.8 |
It will be seen from this table that diphtheritic disease was most
prevalent during 1905 in the south-east sub-district, and least in
the north sub-district. Of the cases notified, 307 were removed,
to hospital, which is equal to 78 per cent. of the total. The
deaths from diphtheria and membranous croup number 26, which is
equivalent to a mortality rate of 9.9 per cent, attacked, and .11
per 1,000 living persons. The mortality rate for London is .12 per
1,000 living persons.
During the year 93 swabbings from the throats of persons
suspected to be suffering from diphtheria were bacteriologically
examined, with the result that 42 gave positive results and 51
negative.
Typhoid or Enteric Fever.—During the year 165 cases of this
disease were notified in the district, but of these 16 cases were
subsequently found not to be cases of enteric fever, thus leaving 149