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29
Notifiable Infectious Diseases.
During 1910, under the Notification Clauses of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, 880 cases of infectious diseases have been
notified as compared with 1,189 cases notified in 1909. Of the 880
cases notified, 702 (i.e., 79 per cent.) were removed to Hospitals of
the Metropolitan Asylums Board or to other hospitals and 178 (i.e.,
21 per cent.) remained under treatment at their homes. As referred
to in past Annual Reports it is satisfactory to note that the high
percentage of removals to hospital for isolation purposes of cases of
dangerous infectious diseases is being well maintained, a matter of
great importance in a district such as Battersea where, owing to
density of population and absence of means for adequate home
isolation, the difficulty of checking the spread of epidemics is
considerable.
Examining the removals to hospital more in detail (e.g., nature
of disease), it is seen that during 1910 in the Borough of Battersea
the following are the percentages :—
Scarlet fever 94.9
Diphtheria and membranous croup 92.3
Enteric fever 94.8
Erysipelas 26.4
Puerperal fever 50.0

The total number of cases of notifiable diseases reported during
1910 shows a considerable decrease as compared with 1909, being
309 fewer in number.
The total amount paid to medical practitioners as fees for
notification of infectious diseases in Battersea during 1910 was
£140 4s. 9d. This amount includes fees paid for notification of
cases of phthisis, both for voluntary notification and notification
under the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations.