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 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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69
THE CONTROL OF DISEASE.
During the year, the number of cases of practically
every infectious disease showed a substantial increase,
except Smallpox, Enteric Fever and Ophthalmia
Neonatorum. Scarlet Fever jumped from 590 to 786
and Diphtheria from 355 to 488. The total number of
cases of all diseases (including Tuberculosis) rose from
1,460 to 1,813. With the limited resources for research
at my disposal, I cannot assign specific reasons for this
substantial increase in sickness. It may be due to the
coincidence of the periodical crests of several of the
diseases or it may be the result of the generally lowered
resistance of the population owing to the prevalent
social conditions. The accompanying table shows the
number of cases of each disease, the age composition
of the patients and the numbers removed to hospital.