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
Bethnal Green 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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57
Hospital Treatment and Diagnosis.
Almost all (99 per cent.) the cases of Diphtheria
and Scarlet Fever were removed in a remarkably prompt
manner to M.A.B. Hospitals. I share the opinion
expressed by my predecessor, that it is desirable that
the final diagnosis of all cases should be reported to
the Medical Officer of Health concerned, on the discharge
of the patient. There is good reason for
thinking that in a substantial number of cases an
altered diagnosis is arrived at at the hospital.
Smallpox.
Four cases of Smallpox occurred in the Borough
during the year, while many cases occurred in other
London Boroughs with contacts in Bethnal Green.
The last serious outbreak of Smallpox in the Borough took place in 1904, when 118 cases were notified. Since then, sporadic cases have occurred, as follows:—
| 1905 | 3 | 1915 | 1 | 1922 | 1 |
| 1906 | 6 | 1918 | 2 | 1923 | 1 |
| 1911 | 3 | 1919 | 1 | 1925 | 11 |
Other Notifiable Diseases.
Particulars of the number of notifications of various
diseases and the age grouping of the patients will be
found in the accompanying table. In addition to the
usual routine enquiries and protective measures, special
enquiries have been made in a number of cases of
Encephalitis Lethargica, etc., on behalf of the London
County Council.