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
Holborn 1920
Report for the year 1920 of the Medical Officer of Health
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15
Unsound Food.
Applications were received for removal and destruction as trade refuse of the
following articles of food, all of which were unsound and unfit for the food of man :—
9 cwt. 2 qrs. 15 lbs. Hams.
1 lb. 14 ozs. Bacon.
1 Side (2 qrs. 2 lbs.) Bacon.
100 lbs. Beef.
2l¾lbs. Butter.
20 (198 lbs.) Dutch Cheeses.
1 Barrel Herrings.
1 Box Cat Fish.
2 Boxes Cod.
6 Stone John Dory.
9 lbs. Sugar.
1 crate Peaches.
14 Cases Australian Jams and Fruits.
40 Jars Marmalade.
1 Case Marmalade in Cartons.
387 2 lb. Tins Australian Cherries.
Prevalence of and Control over Infectious Diseases.
Excluding Measles and German Measles the notification of which ceased at the end of 1919, the total number of notifications received during the year was 489 in comparison with 314 in the year 1919.
| The principal notifications were : | 1920 | 1919 |
|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria | 146 | 88 |
| Scarlet Fever | 125 | 54 |
| Tuberculosis (all forms) | 123 | 94 |
Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria were again increasingly prevalent during last year
in the Borough and in London generally. For some reason which has not yet been
satisfactorily explained, the prevalence of Scarlet Fever in London during 1916 to
1918 was the lowest recorded since 1891. To some extent the increase in the notification
of tuberculosis is due to a number of cases of Ex-Service men.
Diphtheria.—Of 146 cases of diphtheria 12 were returned as not diphtheria.
Four were apparently only bacteriological diphtheria as the diphtheria bacilli were
found in the swabs taken before the removal of the patients. Only seven of the
notified cases remained at home ; in three of these cases the bacteriological examinations
were negative ; one was only bacteriological diphtheria and the remaining
cases could be satisfactorily isolated at home. One notification was cancelled before
removal as the result of the bacteriological examination was found to bo negative.
There was one probable "return" case as a second case was notified 13 days
after the return home of the first patient.
Twenty-one of the notifications, 11 and 10 respectively, were from two residential
homes of a business house containing about 550 and 300 residents respectively.
On account of the occurrence of a case at the Kingsway Creche, 22 of the children
were swabbed—only one was found to be positive and this one was not a resident
in the Borough.