London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
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
This page requires JavaScript
23
It will be seen from the foregoing that during the year, excluding Chickenpox
and Phthisis, 89 Certificates were received, including 14 "duplicates,"
and 8 in which the diagnosis was subsequently found to be incorrect.
The total number of cases of "notifiable infectious disease" was therefore
67, as compared with 90 for the previous year. The total number of cases
of Scarlet Fever reported was 35, compared with 46 of last year.
The following is a Return of infectious disease notified, exclusive of Chicken-pox and Phthisis, occurring in the City of London, with the percentages of such cases removed for treatment to hospitals or nursed at home during 1909, compared with the figures for the previous five years:—
| Year. | Number of cases reported. | Per cent. of cases reported. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Removed to Hospital. | Treated at Home. | ||
| 1904 | 100 | 84.0 | 16.0 |
| 1905 | 113 | 77.9 | 22.1 |
| 1906 | 149 | 91.9 | 8.1 |
| 1907 | 140 | 84.8 | 15.7 |
| 1908 | 90 | 91.0 | 9.0 |
| Average for previous five years. | 118 | 85.8 | 14.2 |
| 1909 | 67 | 82.1 | 17.9 |
EXAMINATION FOR PATHOGENIC BACTERIA.
Should any medical practitioner in the City desire examination of specimens
for pathogenic bacteria in cases of suspected infectious disease occurring
amongst their patients residing in the City, they are examined free of charge,
and the result communicated as speedily as possible.
During the year the following 11 specimens were so dealt with. It will be seen that positive results were obtained in 54 per cent. of these cases:—
| Specimen. | • Disease suspected. | Result— | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive. | Negative. | ||
| Two of Blood | Enteric Fever | 1 | 1 |
| Five of Sputum | Phthisis | 2 | 3 |
| Four Throat Swabs | Diphtheria | 3 | 1 |