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Infectious Diseases.
Measles.
Measles caused 8 deaths in 1920, as compared with 7 in 1919, 14
in 1918, 6 in 1917, 5 in 1916, and 39 in 1915. All the 8 deaths in 1920
were of children under five years of age. The compulsory notification
of measles and German measles ceased on the 31st January, 1920.
The Woman Sanitary Inspector and the Health Visitor in the course
of the year made 271 visits to homes in connection with Measles cases.
In accordance with the arrangement made with the Chelsea District
Nursing Association, 93 visits were made by the Association's Nurses
to ten families who had a child or children ill with measles. The average
number of visits per family was 9, as against 12 in 1919 and in 1918.
In 1919, when measles was notifiable, 594 visits were made by nurses
to measles cases. In the course of the year 1920, 38 cases of measles
were removed to hospital.
Scarlet Fever.
During the year, 191 cases of scarlet fever were notified in Chelsea,
as against 148 in 1919, and 67 in 1918. There were two deaths from this
disease, the case mortality being 1-0 per cent.; 97 per cent, of the cases
were removed to hospital. The disease maintained a rather high prevalence
throughout the year, except in July (8 cases) and August (4
cases). The percentage of cases of school-age (3 to 13 years), was 69,
as against 77 in 1919.
Diphtherui.
During the year, 148 cases of diphtheria were notified in Chelsea,
as against 71 in 3 919, and 47 in 1918. The disease caused 7 deaths in
1920, the case mortality being 4-7 per cent., as compared with 9-9 per
cent, in 1919, and 10-6 per cent, in 1918 ; 90 per cent, of the cases were
removed to hospital. The percentage of cases of school age (3 to 13 years)
was 65, as against 70 in 1919, and 53 in 1918. The months of greatest
prevalence were October, 21 case3, November, 21 cases, and December,
18 cases.
During the year medical practitioners sent 90 throat or nose swabbings
to the Lister Institute for bacterioscopic diagnosis, as compared with
68 in 1919. Of the 90 specimens 32, or 36 per cent., afforded positive
evidence of the diphtheria bacillus, and 58, or 64 per cent., were negative,
the corresponding figures for 1919 being 21 per cent, and 79 per cent.