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
Kensington 1914
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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| Report for four weeks ended | Number of Deaths. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measles. | Whooping Cough. | Influenza | Diarrhcea & Enteritis. | |
| January 31 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| February 28 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| March 28 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| April 25 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| May 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| June 20 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| July 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| August 15 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| September 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| October 10 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 23 |
| November 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| December 5 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| January 2, 1915 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 7 | 31 | 81 |
| Age at Death. | Measles. | Whooping Cough. | Influenza. | Diarrhœa & Enteritis. |
| Under 1 year | 3 | 3 | 0 | 47 |
| Under 5 yenrs | 15 | 6 | 1 | 66 |
| 5 to 15 years | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 to 65 years | 0 | 0 | 15 | 7 |
| 65 years and upwards | 0 | 0 | 15 | 8 |
| Total | 15 | 7 | 31 | 81 |
Fatal diarrhœa is seen to be a disease of infancy, increasing in prevalence in the late summer
and early autumn. Deaths from measles and whooping cough occur in early childhood; influenza
is chiefly fatal in old age and late middle life, the number of deaths showing a marked remission
in the summer months.
MEASLES.
The deaths from Measles numbered 15, all under 5 years of age.
All cases of measles in children attending the elementary schools are notified by the head
teachers and visited by the lady sanitary inspectors. During the year 411 cases were notified;
72 additional cases were found in the homes visited, the total number of cases coming to the
notice of the Public Health Department being 483. Out of this number only 81 had received
medical advice before they were visited by the inspectors. A leaflet is left with the mother of
each family attacked calling attention to the serious nature of the disease and insisting on
precautions being taken to prevent the spread of infection. The largest number of cases occurred
in the Sirdar Road School, where 67 children were attacked, the Fox School, where 54 were
attacked, and St. Mary Abbotts School contributed the next largest number, notifying 49 cases
of measles during the year.
The cases admitted to the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board numbered 8.
WHOOPING COUGH.
The deaths from whooping cough numbered 7, the number of cases brought to the notice
of the Public Health Department by the schools being 165. In the homes visited 49 additional
cases were discovered; the total number of cases dealt with by the Sanitary Inspectors being 214.
An advisory leaflet was left with the mother of each family visited. The largest number of cases
occurred in the Barlby Road School, where 35 children were attacked; Middle Row School,
where 29 children were attacked; Wornington Road School contributed the next largest number,
notifying 22 cases of whooping cough during the year.
Of the cases visited only 34 had received medical treatment. The limitation of fatal whooping
cough to young children was shown by the fact that 6 out of 7 deaths registered during the
year, occurred in children under the age of 5 years.
During the year 21 cases of whooping cough were admitted to the hospitals of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board.