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 1904
Report on the sanitary condition of the Hackney District for the year 1904
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living persons. This is slightly above the rate for 1903 ; the rate for
that year having been 2.3 per 1,000.
Diphtheria was prevalent during the whole of 1004, but it must be
stated much below the average of previous years.
The valence of the disease in the different parts of the Borough.
chart accompanying this report shows the changes in the prevalence of the disease during 1904.
| Sub-districts. | North. | Central. | couth-East. | South-West. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Cases of Diphtheria. | 73 | 105 | 153 | 206 |
| Do. do., Membranous Croup. | 1 | — | 2 | 2 |
| Total attack rate per 1,000 | 1.41 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.4 |
Of the cases notified, 497 were removed to hospital, which is equivalent
to 91 per cent. In no previous year has such a high proportion
of cases been removed to hospital. From the above table it can be
seen that the disease was more prevalent in the southern part of the
Borough than elsewhere. The deaths from diphtheria and membranous
croup during 1904 numbered 57. This is equal to a death rate of 10.5
per 1,000 persons attacked and a death rate of .25 per 1,000 persons
living. The number of cases of diphtheria notified in London during
1904 was 7,219, and the number of deaths from this disease 729.
This latter is equal to a death rate of' .16 per thousand living in London.
During 1904 swabbing from the throats of patients suspected to
be suffering fiom diphtheria were examined for diphtheria bacilli to