London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Battersea 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]

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78
DEATHS FROM ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
The principal zymotic diseases are small-pox, measles, scarlet
fever, diphtheria (including membranous croup), whooping-cough,
enteric fever and diarrhoea.
The deaths from these causes in 1938 numbered 52, as compared
with 58 in 1937, a decrease of 10.3 per cent. There was a
corresponding decrease in the zymotic death-rate from 0.404 in
1937 to 0.37 in 1938.

The following table shows the zymotic death-rate (per 1,000 population) in Battersea for each year since 1933:—

BatterseaLondon
19330.380.32
19340.600.40
19350.260.29
19360.470.50
19370.400.32
Mean0.420.37
19380.370.39

NON-NOTIFIABLE DISEASES.
Information as to the occurrence of non-notifiable forms of
infectious disease is obtained chiefly from the returns made by the
head teachers of elementary schools which show the absences of
scholars which are attributed to illness, and the nature of the
disease.
Many of the cases of infectious illness shown on such returns
are visited by the Sanitary Inspectorial and Health Visiting staff,
and such steps as may be desirable or necessary are taken to
prevent the spread of infection.
Chicken-Pox.
During 1938 there were 464 cases of chicken-pox reported, as
compared with 547 in 1937, 426 in 1936, 178 in 1935, and 457 in 1934.
Diarrhœa.
The total number of deaths from diarrhœa of children under
2 years of age was 31, equivalent to a fatality-rate of 0.22 per 1,000
of the population. In 1937 there were 30 deaths and a fatality-rate
of 0.21.
Influenza.
There were 10* deaths registered as being due to Influenza
as against 43 in 1937, 20 in 1936, 18 in 1935, and 15 in 1934. The
mortality-rate per 1,000 population was 0.07, as compared with
0.30 in 1937, 0.14 in 1936, 0.12 in 1935, and 0.10 in 1934.
Influenzal Pneumonia was not so prevalent as in the previous
year, 18 cases being notified as against 76 in 1937, 43 in 1936,
47 in 1935, and 41 in 1934. The death-rate was 0.04 per 1,000 of
the population.
* 5 of these deaths were ascribed to Influenzal Pneumonia.