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
Woolwich 1899
The eleventh annual report of the health, sanitary condition, etc., etc., of the District of Woolwich for the year 1899
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It is satisfactory to note the small number of cases of Scarlet Fever
and Diphtheria treated at home, showing an appreciation on the part of
the inhabitants of the advantages of hospital accommodation.
The total number of cases of notifiable Infectious Diseases during
the year was the same as in 1898, but considerably less than in 1897.
The following table will show the prevalence of the principal Zymotic diseases during the past seven years:—
| 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-pox | 61 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 |
| Scarlet Fever | 259 | 215 | 187 | 144 | 225 | 204 | 168 |
| Diphtheria | 24 | 49 | 67 | 99 | 150 | 107 | 142 |
| Typhoid or Enteric Fever | 25 | 14 | 50 | 21 | 18 | 22 | 27 |
| Totals | 369 | 293 | 305 | 265 | 395 | 333 | 338 |
Small-pox.
One case notified in August, and promptly removed to
Hospital, was returned the next day as not being Small-pox.
Scarlet
Fever.
The number of Scarlet Fever notifications for the year
was, with the exception of 1896, the lowest for eight years.
Forty-nine of the cases were children under 5 years of age. With the
exception of 15 instances, patients, or other children in the house, were in
attendance at school. The schools most affected were:—Mulgrave
Place 30 cases; Wood Street 29; St. Mary's (King Street) 21;
Eglinton Road (Plumstead) 19; St. Michael's 17. North Woolwich
(Elizabeth Street) had but 6 only ; Military Schools, numbered 1 5.
Diphtheria.
The increase in the number of cases (being with the
exception of 1897 in excess of previous years) is due to two outbreaks.
One on the "Warspite" training ship in August; and the other among
children attending Elizabeth Street Board School, North Woolwich.
Careful inquiries were made in both instances. To the first the attention
*In 1899 the diagnosis of Small-pox was disproved.