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 1921
Sixty-sixth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington
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19 [1921
Puerperal Fever.— Thirty-four cases were notified, being in the proportion of 4.31.
per 1.000 births. The notifications were 14 above the average (20) of the preceding ten
years, and showed an increase of 1.59 in the proportion of attacks to 1,000 births. It was
the highest number of cases notified since 1901.
The deaths numbered 12, which represented a fatality of 35 per cent. The deaths occurring
in hospital numbered 11, and equalled a fatality rate of 52 per cent. of the cases treated.
| Tufnell. | Upper Holloway. | Tollington. | Lower Holloway. | Highbury. | Barns-bury. | Islington, South-East. | The Borough | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases notified | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 34 |
| Patient delivered by Doctor | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
| Patient delivered by Midwife | 4 | - | - | - | 5 | 1 | 3* | 13 |
| Cases inquired into | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 34 |
| ,, treated in Hospital | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 25 |
| „ treated at home | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | - | - | 5 | 9 |
| *There was one case where miscarriage occurred. | ||||||||
FATALITY FROM THE NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
By " Fatality " is meant the percentage proportion of deaths to attacks of sickness.
During the year it was found that of the 4,344 cases notified, 146 deaths occurred, or 3.3 per cent., which contrasts with an average percentage of 4.9 in the preceding ten years 1911-20.
| Years. | Cases. | Deaths. | Fatality. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 1,759 | 104 | 5.9 |
| 1912 | 1,577 | 62 | 3.9 |
| 1913 | 2,171 | 76 | 3.5 |
| 1914 | 2,947 | 113 | 3.8 |
| 1915 | 2,210 | 118 | 5.3 |
| 1916 | 1,439 | 87 | 6.0 |
| 1917 | 1,251 | 55 | 4.4 |
| 1918 | 1,125 | 67 | 6.0 |
| 1919 | 1,993 | 96 | 4.8 |
| 1920 | 2,870 | 173 | 6.0 |
| Mean | 1,933 | 95 | 4.9 |
Hospital Isolation.— Of the 4,344 cases of infectious diseases notified, 4,117 were
isolated in hospital, or a percentage of 94.8, while only 5.2 per cent. of the patients, therefore,
were nursed at home. This is the highest number on record.
The following tabular statement shows the number of cases treated in the various public institutions:
| Year. | Cases treated in Hospital. | Percentage of cases treated. |
|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 1,416 | 80.5 |
| 1912 | 1,577 | 84.1 |
| 1913 | 1,866 | 85.9 |
| 1914 | 2,543 | 86.3 |
| 1915 | 1,991 | 90.1 |
| 1916 | 1,269 | 90.0 |
| 1917 | 1,099 | 87.8 |
| 1918 | 982 | 87.1 |
| 1919 | 1,772 | 88.9 |
| 1920 | 2,642 | 92.0 |
DISEASES TREATED IN HOSPITAL.
| Disease. | Total cases. | Cases isolated. | Percentage of known cases. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 2,622 | 2,512 | 95.8 |
| Diphtheria | 1,553 | 1,552 | 98.6 |
| Enteric Fever | 10 | 8 | 80.0 |
| Erysipelas | 125 | 44 | 35.2 |
| Puerperal Fever | 34 | 21 | 61.8 |
| 4,344 | 4,117 | 94.8 |