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
Islington 1918
Sixty-third annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington
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23
[1918
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
During the year 738 examinations were made for the medical profession
of the sputum and blood of patients lor the detection of Diphtheria, Enteric
Fever anl Phthisis. This number shows a decrease of 183 on the return
for 1917, but was 213 less than that for 1916.
The following Table gives the results of the examinations that have been
made daring the last 20 years.
| Diseases. | Total Examinations. | Positive Results. | Negative Results. | Percentage of Positive Results. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria | 5,852 | 1,833 | 4,019 | 31.3 |
| Enteric Fever | 1,210 | 523 | 687 | 43.2 |
| Phthisis | 6,425 | 1,848 | 4,577 | 28.8 |
| Total | 13,487 | 4,204 | 9,283 | 8l.2 |
STATE OF VACCINATION IN ISLINGTON.
Of the 5,405 births registered in 1917, the returns of the Vaccination
Officers show that only 2,379 infants were successfully vaccinated; while 14
were declared insusceptible to vaccination; 314 died unvaccinated; 1,341
certificates of exemption were produced by parents; and 04 cases were
postponed under medical authority, thus leaving 1,293 unaccounted for.
Certificates of Exemption. —The following tabular statement shows that the increase of these certificates, more especially during the past eight
years.
| 1906 | 123 | 1912 | 1,646 |
| 1907 | 259 | 1913 | 1,942 |
| 1908 | 588 | 1914 | 2,124 |
| 1909 | 824 | 1915 | 1,710 |
| 1910 | 1,080 | 1916 | 1,796 |
| 1911 | 1,241 | 1917 | 1,341 |
DISINFECTION.
Disinfection of Rooms.—1,037 rooms were disinfected, as contrasted
with 1,140 in 1917. For this purpose formaldehyde, either in a gaseous form
or in solution, was employed, although it was sometimes augmented by
sulphur dioxide, when it was necessary to kill vermin, for which purpose it has
been found most effective.
These above figures also include the disinfection of houses and rooms
after Phthisis, vide p. 19.