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 1919

Sixty-fourth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington

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19191]
48
Enteric Fever.— 20 specimens of blood were examined, of which only
five gave positive results.
Phthisis.- 440 specimens of sputum were examined, only 92 of which
showed that the patients were suffering from this disease.
These bacteriological examinations have proved of the greatest utility,
and have helped the medical profession in the borough very much. They
complain, however, of the delay that is sometimes experienced in obtaining
the results of the examinations. This is unavoidable, as the swabs from the
throat, the blood from suspected enteric fever patients, and the sputa from
the phthisis patients have to be sent to the Lister Institute at Chelsea. In
many sanitary authorities in the country it is usual to employ a bacteriologist,
and indeed such an official is becoming an absolute necessity in all large
boroughs, so that the examinations may be made speedily and delays in the
removal of patients to isolation in hospital avoided.

Table: Showing the result of theBacteriological Examinationsmade for theDiagnosisofDiphtheria Enteric FeverandPhthisis,1909-19.

Showing the result of theBacteriological Examinationsmade for theDiagnosisofDiphtheria Enteric FeverandPhthisis,1909-19.

Periods.Diphtheria.Enteric Fever.Phthisis.
Positive Results.Negative Results.Total Examined.Positive Results.Negative Results.Total Examined.Positive Results.Negative Results.Total Examined.Totals.
19096423630020355560162222577
191012527640132296163157220682
191115732748419335266186252788
1912137298435232750119341460945
19131634185812428521835467291362
19141785186961544592435678101565
19151233604831619351985687661284
1916127277404101222135390525951
191710021631612820165420585921
19187417124532124111358469738
Average 10 years125310435172643134370504982
1919 ......1163524685IS2092348440928

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VACCINATION.
Of the 4,749 births registered in 1918, the returns of vaccination show
hat only 2,055 infants were successfully vaccinated, while 22 were
found to be insusceptible. There were also 320 who died unvaccinated,
and 1,027 statutory declarations of conscientious objection to
vaccination were obtained by the parents or guardians. 86 vaccinations were