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
Battersea 1907
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1907
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The next table gives the age distribution of the cases notified and of the fatal cases.
| Age Periods— Years. | Under 1 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 4-5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-25 | 25-65 | Borough. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Cases | 7 | 28 | 47 | 71 | 77 | 422 | 170 | 72 | 28 | 922 |
| No. of Deaths | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | • • • | 20 | |||
| Case Mortality per cent. | 14.2 | 10.6 | 7.0 | 3.8 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.3 | • • • | 2.1 |
It will be noted that of the total 922 persons reported as
suffering from Scarlet Fever during 1907 within the Borough
of Battersea, 230 (i.e. 24.9 per cent.) were under five years of
age and 652 (i.e. 70.7 per cent.) under ten years of age ; whilst
the mortality was greatest amongst those under five years of
age (i.e. 6.9 per cent.). Of the 270 persons over ten years of
age 2 (i.e. 0.74 per cent.) died.
Scarlet Fever showed a greatly increased prevalence in
the County of London during the year 1907; 25,925 cases
being notified as against 20,329 in 1906. Notwithstanding
this great increase (25 per cent.) in the Metropolis in 1907, it
is gratifying to be able to record that in Battersea there were
89 fewer cases notified in that year than in the previous year.
Every precaution was taken by the Health Department to
limit the outbreak, and the following leaflet relating to both
Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria (which was also very prevalent)
was by order or the Health Committee distributed throughout
the Borough :—