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 1924
Sixty-ninth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington
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1924 10
Treatment.—12 of 77 Ophthalmia Neonatorum cases were admitted to
St. Margaret's Hospital.
24 of 77 Ophthalmia Neonatorum cases were treated at home by private
Doctors.
33 cases of inflammatory disease of infants' eyes were nursed by the North
London Nursing Association for the Council at the cost of £38 19s. (In 1923,
17 cases were nursed at the cost of £22 3s. Skilled attention decreases the
possibility of partial or complete blindness, and the money was well spent.
Results.- Of the 77 Ophthalmia Neonatorum cases :
76 cases completely clear.
1 case partial impairment of both eyes.
There was no fatal case during the year.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
Definition.— The Royal College of Physicians' definition of Puerperal Fever
is: Septicæmia, Pyæmia, Septic Peritonitis, Septic Metritis, and other acute septic
inflammation in the pelvis occurring as the direct result of child-birlli.
Of the 21 cases coming to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health
during 1924, 19 were notified by Medical Practitioners. The proportion of total
cases to births was 3 per thousand. The notifications were three below the
average (22) of the preceding 10 years and showed a decrease of 0.26 in the
proportion of attacks to 1,000 births.
Cases of Puerperal Fever notified and inquired into during the year 1924.
| Tufnell. | Upper Holloway. | Tollington. | Lower Holloway. | Highbury. | Barnsbury. | i South East. | The Borough | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases notified | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 19 |
| Private Practitioners' Cases | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
| Hospital Cases | 1 | 2 | – | 2 | – | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Certified Midwives' Cases | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Cases inquired into | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 21 |
| Cases treated in Hospital | 2 | 2 | – | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 18 |
| Cases treated at Home | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | –- | – | 2 |
Of the 21 cases, 19 were notified and treated in Hospitals. One of these
contracted the disease in Hospital; 6 cases were removed to Metropolitan Asylums
Board Hospitals; and 10 cases were removed to other London Hospitals.
Deaths.— Eight deaths were registered as being clue to Puerperal Fever.
Two of these were not notified and are not included in the table of notified cases
above.
THE MILK SCHEME FOR NECESSITOUS EXPECTANT AND NURSING
MOTHERS AND CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE.
During the year 1924, the sum expended in the provision of fresh and dried
milk for necessitous, expectant and nursing mothers, and children under five years
of age, amounted to £3,186 19s. 2d., as against £3,581 10s. 11d. in 1923. The
total amount expended since September, 1918, when the Order came into operation
is £39,714 13s. 6d.
The total recipients during the year numbered 10,791, and the quantity of
milk supplied to them was equal to 253,289 pints (31,661 gallons).
The amended scheme for the distribution of milk adopted by resolution of
the Council, on the 26th October 1922, is given below:—
No. in
family. Free. Half-cost.
1 13/- after deduction of rent 15/- after deduction of rent
2 10/6 per head after deduction of rent 12/6 per head alter deduction of rent
3 8/6 ,, ,, 10/- ,, ,,
4 7/6 „ „ 8/6 ,, ,,
5 7/- „ „ 8/- ,, ,,
6 6/6 ,, ,, 7/6 ,, ,,