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a large number of deaths —indirectly, through complications—it is
doubtful whether the case mortality is as high as that of scarlet fever.
Scarlet fever is one of those diseases which is very liable to increase
in virulence, and although it has been of a mild character for the
past 25 years, one never knows when it may suddenly become virulent,
in which case we would require every bit of hospital accommodation.
In a borough like Bermondsey also there are very few opportunities
of treating cases at home, for lack of accommodation—so it
is probably better to still isolate scarlet fever, a disease which we
can control to some extent, than endeavour to isolate a disease
like measles which has hitherto resisted all attempts to control.
The sources of infection were mostly previous cases. There
was no outbreak traceable to any common cause, such as infected
milk or school contagion.
Measles.
The number of deaths for 1921 was 3, against 56 in 1920, 18 in
1919, and 71 in 1918.
Enteric Fever.
8 cases of enteric fever were notified, being 5 for Bermondsey,
1 for Rotherhithe, and 2 for St. Olave. One case was returned as
not suffering. The total number of cases notified in the previous
years was 7.
Puerperal Fever.
7 cases of puerperal fever were notified. Death resulted in
3 cases.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
There were 15 cases of this disease notified during the year.
Under this heading is included every kind of "sore eyes"
occurring in the newly-born. They were all visited by the Health
Visitors, who instructed the mother in each case to immediately
seek medical advice.