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19
Section II.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Small.Pox.—There were no cases of small.pox in Chelsea in 1912.
In London, during the year 1912, 6 cases only of the disease were
notified, as compared with 73 in 1911, and 7 in 1910. Of the six cases
3 were in Woolwich, one in Poplar, one in St. Pancras, and one in the Port
of London. There has been no case notified in London since the end of
August, 1912.
Scarlet Fever.—In 1912, 126 cases of scarlet fever were notified in
Chelsea, equivalent to a case.rate of 19.3 per 10,000 of the population, as
against 21.4 in 1911. The number of cases notified in the first quarter of
the year was 41, in the second quarter 25, in the third quarter 30, and in
the fourth quarter 30. January, March, and November were the months
of greatest prevalence (15 cases in each of these months), and the least
prevalence was in June (6 cases). There was no special school incidence
of scarlet fever in respect of any school in the Borough.
In North Chelsea 76 cases were notified during the year, and in
South Chelsea 50 cases. The percentage of cases of school age (3 to 13
years) of the total number in the Borough was 72, as compared with 75
in 1911. The average duration of the stay in hospital of 112 cases,
of which the records are to hand, was 58.8 days, as against 63.8 days
in 1911.
Only two cases admitted to M.A.B. hospitals were subsequently
certified by the Medical Superintendents of the institutions not to be
suffering from scarlet fever or any other notifiable disease. The duration
of stay in hospital of one of these cases was 22 days. Four cases on
discharge from M.A.B. hospitals were stated to be still suffering from
otorrhoea or rhinorrhoea, as compared with 6 in 1911. So far as is known,
none of these cases were the means of spreading infection after return to
their homes. During the year there was only one instance of a possible
" return" case of scarlet fever, the interval elapsing between the return
home from hospital of the infecting case and the onset of the disease in
the secondary case being 7 days.
Diphtheria.—In 1912, 89 cases of diphtheria were notified in Chelsea,
equivalent to a case.rate of 13.6 per 10,000 of population, as compared
with 12.5 in 1911. In the first quarter of the year 26 cases were notified,
in the second quarter 32, in the third quarter 18, and in the fourth
quarter 13. The percentage of cases of school age (3 to 13 years) of the
total number in the Borough was 67, as against 71 in 1911. In North
Chelsea 39 cases were notified, and in South Chelsea 50. The months of
greatest prevalence were May (14 cases) and March (11 cases).