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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THE INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
025 cases of the notifiable infectious diseases occurred in the Public
Elementary Schools of the Borough, of which 579 were Scarlet Fever and 3-Mi
Diphtheria.
The number of notifications of the several diseases are given below :—
| Disease. | No. of Notifications. | Average of preceding 10 years. | Increase or Decrease. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Pox | – | – | – |
| Scarlet Fever | 579 | 720 | — 141 |
| Diphtheria | 346 | 399 | — 53 |
| Enteric Fever | — | 2 | — 2 |
| Other Diseases | — | 1 | — 1 |
| Total | 925 | 1,122 | — 197 |
Non-Notifiable Diseases.—G,921 cases came to the knowledge of the
Medical Officer of Health during- the year, viz. : 3,038 cases of Measles, 998 cases
of Chicken Pox, 703 of Whooping Cough, and 2,185 of other diseases.
The information respecting these cases was received from the teachers of CO
schools.
Exclusion of Scholars from Schools.—3,000 children were excluded
from classrooms of various schools owing to the presence of an infectious disease,
chiefly Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever, in the houses wherein they lived.
The non-notifiable diseases among children attending the Public Elementary Schools were:—
| Disease. | Notifications by Teachers. | Average of preceding 10 years. | Increase or Decrease. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measles | 3,038 | 1,523 | + 1,515 |
| Chicken Pox | 998 | 757 | + 241 |
| Whooping Cough | 703 | 507 | + 136 |
| *Other Diseases | 2,185 | 2,480 | — 295 |
| 6,924 | 5,327 | + 1,597 |
* Note.—" Other Diseases " include Mumps, Scabies, Ophthalmia, Itch, etc.
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
2,307 examinations were made for the medical profession of the sputum, of
swabs from the throat, and of the blood of patients suspected to be suffering from
Tuberculosis, Diphtheria and Enteric Fever, respectively.
The number is a decrease of 261 on that of the preceding year. It is also
906 above the decennial average. Of the total examinations, 307 or 13.3 per cent.
gave positive results.
Diphtheria.—1,513 specimens were examined for Diphtheria, or which 180,
or 12 per cent., were found to contain Diphtheria bacilli.
Enteric Fever.—17 specimens of blood were examined, all of which gave
negative results,