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
City of London 1909
Annual report of Medical Officer of Health for 1909
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recommendation of the Select Committee to give effect to various obvious and
much needed reforms, the state of the law with regard to earth burial remains
unaltered.
The Bill now referred to was certainly an improvement on existing legislation
for dealing with death certification, but, as drafted, required modification
in at least two respects.
The limit of time within which deaths were to be certified, viz., five days,
was too long, and in inquest cases might result in the burial being unduly
delayed.
The registration of still-born children as being born alive, as suggested in
the Bill, should not be permitted. Such a course would be indefensible on
moral grounds; it is also desirable for statistical and other purposes that the
number of still-births should be accurately known.
NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
In the following Tables will be found particulars of infectious disease notified under Sections 55 and 56 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and information as to the removal of patients to hospitals, infirmaries, &c.:—
| NATURE OF DISEASE. | Number of Certificates received. | Treated at Home. | Removed to tbe Metropolitan Asylums Board Hospitals. | Removed to the London Fever Hospital. | Treated at other Hospitals and Infirmaries. | Duplicate Certificates received. | Diagnosis incorrect. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | ||
| 21 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 47 | 2 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 4 | |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 12 | 6 | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | |
| 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | |
| 89 | 12 | 39 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 8 | |
| 28 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | ||
| 123 | 43 | 39 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
The notification of this disease is voluntary in the City of London.