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
Kensington 1926
The annual report on the health of the Borough for the year1926
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The preventive work under the scheme is carried out by the staff of the Public Health Department,
assisted by the voluntary and paid workers at the Infant Welfare Centres. For the purposes
of treatment, Dr. Carter is appointed to render medical assistance when required during the Summer
months and an arrangement has been made with the Kensington District Nursing Association under
which the services of the nurses can be requisitioned for home nursing at any time of the year.
(Full details in regard to the scheme have appeared in my last two Annual Reports).
The cases dealt with during the year 1924 are as follow:—
| Year | No. of Notifications | Cases treated by Dr. Carter | No. of deaths amongst Dr Carter's cases | Cases nursed by. District Nurses | No, of visits paid by District Nurses | No. of de-ths amongst District Nurses' cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | 40 | *31 | Nil. | *34 | 267 | Nil. |
These figures are satisfactory, but the Summer of 1924 was wet and cold with the result that
there were few cases of zymotic enteritis. It will be clear, therefore, that at the end of 1924, it was
not possible to form any sound opinion as to the value of the Council's scheme.
The fieures for 1925 are as follow :—
| Year | No. of Notifications | Cases treated by Dr. Carter | No. of deaths amongst Dr. Carter's cases | Cases nursed by District Nurses | No. of visits paid by District N urses | No, of deaths amongst District N arses' cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | 122 | *45 | Nil. | *58 | 588 | l |
* All cases treated by Dr. Carter are nursed by the District Nurses, who, in addition, attend cases under
the care of other doctors. The District Nurses do not undertake home nursing unless a doctor is in attendance.
The year 1925 was very different from the previous one from a climatic point of view. The
months of May and June were fine and hot; indeed, rarely has this country enjoyed two more
perfect Summer months. But such months favour the spread of zymotic enteritis and, therefore,
there was ample opportunity for the scheme to be thoroughly tried out.
It is satisfactory to be able to record that not one of the cases attended by Dr. Carter throughout
the two years proved fatal, and there was only one fatal case amongst those nursed by the District
Nnrsinc Association durint? that time.
The following tables give particulars for 1926. TABLE No. 1.
| Four Weeks ending | Zymotic Enteritis | Epidemic Diarrhoea | Acute Enteritis | Diarrhœa and Vomiting | Gastro-Enteritis | Infantile Enteritis | Infantile Diarrhœa | Enteritis | Chronic Diarrhoea | Diarrhœa | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 30th | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| February 27th | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 |
| March 27th | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| April 24th | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| May 22nd | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| June 19th | 9 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| July 17th | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 14 |
| August 14th | 6 | 10 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 |
| September 11th | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 9 |
| October 9th | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 9 | 1 | 3 | 31 |
| November 6th | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 |
| December 4th | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| January 1st | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 44 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 97 |