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
Chelsea 1916
Annual (abridged) reports of the Medical Officer of Health, for the years 1915 and 1916
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and 204 deaths of parishioners occurred outside the Borough. There
were, therefore, 955 deaths of Chelsea residents, the death-rate being 15.1
per 1,000, as against 17.5 in 1915.
There were 100 deaths of infants under one year of age, equivalent
to an infant mortality rate of 91 per 1,000 births. In 1915, the rate was
100 per 1,000, and, in 1914, 67 per 1,000. During the year, the homes of
515 recently born infants were visited by the Woman Health Visitor;
there were 140 re-visits, and 174 miscellaneous calls at houses in connection
with the work. The health visitor also paid 19 visits to expectant
mothers in connection with the newly started scheme of an ante-natal
clinic at the Chelsea Health Society's premises, 49, Sydney Street.
Measles caused 5 deaths in 1916, as compared with 39 in 1915. Two
of the fatal cases were of infants under 1 year, and 3 of children between
1 and 2 years.
Measles and German measles (Rubella) have been compulsorily notifiable during 1916. The following table shows the numbers of cases notified, and by whom :—
| Measles. | Rubella. | |
|---|---|---|
| Notified by Doctor | 375 | 179 |
| ,, School | 23 | 11 |
| ,, Parent | 3 | — |
| „ Others | 27 | 6 |
| 428 | 196 | |
| Notified in 1st Quarter | 55 | 22 |
| ,, 2nd „ | 216 | 116 |
| ,, 3rd „ | 88 | 49 |
| ,, 4th „ | 69 | 9 |
| 428 | 196 |
Of the total measles cases notified 72 per cent, were children between
the ages of 2 and 15 years, the corresponding figure for German measles
being 61 per cent.; 45 per cent, of the measles cases were children under
5 years, and 25 per cent, of the German measles cases.
On the 21st June, 1916, the Council entered into an arrangement
with the Chelsea Nursing Association to supply nursing assistance, on the
requisition of the Medical Officer of Health, to poor families one or more
of whose members are suffering from measles or other diseases in which
nursing is required. As a result of this arrangement, 156 visits were
made by the nurses to 12 families in the year who had children ill with
measles. The average number of visits per family was 13.
The Woman Sanitary Inspector in the course of the year made 685
visits in connection with measles and German measles inquiries, this
number including visits paid by a temporary assistant health visitor
during her six weeks' engagement.
The case mortality of measles for the year (1.2 per cent. of attacks
proving fatal) was a very low one, and shows that the disease was mild
in type.
During the year 155 children were excluded from elementary schools
as suffering from measles, and 87 as contacts.