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
Poplar 1918
Annual report for the year 1918 on the sanitary condition and vital statistics of the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar, comprising the registration sub-districts of Poplar, Bromley and Bow
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(d) Most infectious during early stage, but probably remains infectious
as long as bronchial and catarrhal symptoms persist.
(e) Variable.
(f) Query.
(g) Seven to fourteen days.
(h) No real evidence. I should say short.
Question 6.—Methods of spreading.
Replies.
(a) Contact. Sneezing. Coughing.
(b) Air borne. People affected visited others before well.
(c) Public gatherings. Most fresh cases on Monday. Personal contact.
(d) Common methods. Coughing and sneezing.
(e) By air.
(f) Cannot toll.
(g) Crowded sleeping apartments. Crowded buses and trams.
(h) Probably from person to person by breath, or by coughing and
sneezing. (i) Various—chiefly by direct contact.
Question 7.—Evidence of possible protection by a previous attack.
Replies.
(а) Slight, if any.
(b) None.
(c) Previous attack often afforded some protection. Many of the cases
in this epidemic were not treated in the July outbreak, and many treated in
July did not get attack in recent epidemic.
(d) None.