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 1912
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1912
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37
The great decline which has taken place in the incidence and
mortality from enteric fever is seen at a glance in the above table.
The age distribution of the cases, and the death-rate, case-rate and case-mortality in the Borough and in the sub-districts during 1912 are set out in the following tables:-
| Ages. | Under 5. | 5-15. | 15-30. | Above 30. | Totals. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Females | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| Totals | 2 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 20 |
| Case-rate per 1,000 population. | Death-rate per 1,000 population. | Case-mortality per cent. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Battersea | 0.07 | 0.01 | 20.0 |
| North-West Battersea | 0.24 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
| South-West Battersea | 0. 06 | 0.02 | 33.3 |
| The Borough | 0.12 | 0.01 | 10.0 |
In the County of London the case-rate was 0.16 per 1,000
population.
Of the 15 typhoid-infected houses 2 (i.e., 13 per cent.) showed
on inspection defective traps, fittings or appliances. In three of
the houses the drains themselves were found to be defective.
The source of infection in four cases was probably personal
contact with a previous case. In four instances there was reason
to suspect the disease having been contracted from the eating of
shell-fish or fried fish. In two other cases the disease was probably
contracted out of the Borough. While, in the remaining
ten cases, no evidence could be obtained as to the probable source
of infection.
Puerperal Fever.
During 1912 in the Borough of Battersea five cases of puerperal
fever were notified and one death was registered from the
disease, giving a case-mortality of 20 per cent. The case-rate
was 0.03 or 0.02 below the mean case-rate for the preceding ten