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883 notifications were received during the year 1914, relating to
866 cases. Of these, 35 cases were errors in diagnosis and cases which
occurred in hospital, thus reducing the net number of cases to 831.
The number of cases for 1914 was in excess of that in the previous
year. During the previous three years 639, 406 and 369 cases were
notified respectively.
The deaths were 9, compared with 3, 6 and 7 in the three preceding
years.
The death-rate was 0.08 per 1,000, and for the three preceding
years 0.03, 0.05 and 0.06 respectively.
The rate of mortality for England and Wales was 0.08, for the 97
great towns 0.09, for the 145 smaller towns 0.07, for the County of
London 0.07 per 1,000.
During the first quarter of the year only 165 cases were notified,
during the second quarter 207, the third quarter 213, and during the
last quarter there were 281.
Nearly 90 per cent, of these cases were removed to hospital, and
previous records show that the percentage of deaths is much lower
if the patient is treated in hospital than if nursed at home.
Prevention of Scarlet Fever.
The procedure by the Health Department for the prevention of
the spread of scarlet fever in the borough has consisted of systematic
weekly visits by the Sanitary Inspector to the houses where cases were
isolated at home. Reports were made on receipt of each notification
to the Medical Officer of Health, as to the milk, water supply, sanitary
arrangements, drainage, school or department attended by the patient
and rest of the family, state of the house, out-buildings, number in
house, and means of isolation, these reports being entered into an
Infectious Disease Register, where the results of subsequent weekly
visits to enforce isolation are also recorded. Notices were sent to the
school where children attended from infected homes, requiring exclusion