Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Annual report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford
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78
in England and Wales was 347 per million. From whooping cough
the death-rate in 1912 was 225 per million. The fatality from these
two popularly considered mild diseases may profitably be compared with
that from scarlet fever and diphtheria. In 1912 the scarlet fever deathrate
was 50 per million, and the diphtheria death-rate was 114 per
million.
Fortunately for us we are able to obtain, when necessary, hospital
treatment of the disease, but for most cases it appears probable that
domestic treatment will continue to be necessary, and the greatest scope
for saving life lies in the more complete medical treatment and in
skilled nursing and supervision of patients treated at home.
The following is a comparative table showing the number of deaths from measles and whooping cough during each of the past ten years:—
Deaths from | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Measles | 73 | 16 | 71 | 55 | 33 | 66 | 60 | 67 | 28 | 50 | 519 |
Whooping Cough | 49 | 18 | 61 | 35 | 25 | 47 | 44 | 35 | 24 | 43 | 381 |
I submit a table for the past ten years, to show the number of deaths from measles and whooping cough below five years of age, as compared with those occurring over that age:-
Disease | Age | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Measles | Under 5 years | 69 | 15 | 64 | 51 | 32 | 60 | 50 | 62 | 27 | 48 | 478 |
Over 5 years | 4 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 41 | |
Total | 73 | 16 | 71 | 55 | 33 | 66 | 60 | 67 | 28 | 50 | 519 | |
Whooping Cough | Under 5 years | 46 | 18 | 59 | 34 | 24 | 45 | 42 | 34 | 24 | 42 | 368 |
Over 5 years | 3 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 13 | |
Total | 49 | 18 | 61 | 35 | 25 | 47 | 44 | 35 | 24 | 43 | 381 |