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 1926
Seventy-first annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington
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40
1926]
THE INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
952 cases of the notifiable infectious diseases occurred in the Public
Elementary Schools of the Borough, of which 592 were Scarlet Fever and 359
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 | 592 | 667 | — 76 |
| Diphtheria | 359 | 414 | — 55 |
| Enteric Fever | 1 | 1 | — |
| Other Diseases | — | — | — |
| Total | 952 | 1,082 | — 130 |
Non-Notifiable Diseases.—5,891 cases came to the knowledge of the
Medical Officer of Health during the year, viz : 2,059 cases of Measles, 1,184 cases
of Chicken Pox, 409 of Whooping Couch, and 2,239 of other diseases.
The information respecting these cases was received from the teachers of
schools within the borough.
Exclusion of Scholars from Schools.—3,077 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 | 2,059 | 1,679 | + 380 |
| Chicken Pox | 1,184 | 787 | + 397 |
| Whooping Cough | 409 | 577 | — 168 |
| •Other Diseases | 2,239 | 2,343 | — 104 |
| 6,891 | 5,386 | + 505 |
* Note.—" Other Diseases " include Mumps, Scabies, Ophthalmia, Itch, etc.
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
2,535 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 251 on that of the preceding year. It is, however,
909 above the decennial average. Of the total examinations, 334 or 13.2
per cent. gave positive results.
Diphtheria.—1,684 specimens were examined for Diphtheria, of which 183,
or 10.9 per cent., were found to contain Diphtheria bacilli"
Enteric Fever.—12 specimens of blood were examined, 9 of which gave
negative results.
Tuberculosis —839 specimens of sputum were examined', 148, or 17.6 per
cent. of which showed that the patients were suffering from pulmonary
tuberculosis.