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
Holborn 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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on August 16th. The patient's blood agglutinated Sonne's dysentery bacillus and Flexner's
dysentery bacillus slightly; the Sonne bacilli were grown from the blood. No information
as to the source of infection could be obtained; the patient had not been out of England or
absent from home on any holiday, and no other member of the family, all of whom partook
of the same food, had symptoms of any illness.
(2) A female, aged 8 months, treated in hospital. The illness commenced during the
second week in November; death took place on the 24th November, 1928. The father had
served overseas in the War (France only) but had not at any time suffered from dysentery.
Malaria.
One case of malaria was notified, a male, age 28 years; the disease was
contracted in Nigeria.
Encephalitis Lethargica.
No case of encephalitis lethargica was notified in the Borough during the year.
One hundred cases were notified in London.
The following table gives information up to the end of 1928 respecting the 11 real cases of encephalitis lethargica notified in the Borough since the Public Health (Encephalitis Lethargica) Regulations came into force on the 1st January, 1919 :—
| Date of Notification. | Patient. | Age when notified. | Subsequent History. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/2/20 | p.p. | 8 years | Died 28/2/20 |
| 7/2/20 | 47 years | Died 7/2/20 | |
| 13/1/20 | B.R. | 32 years | Died 13/1/20 |
| 26/4/22 | W.H. | 14 years | Died 19/4/22 |
| 4/4/24 | A K | 28 years | Died 28/3/24 |
| 16/5/24 | 36 years | Returned to Italy | |
| 20/6/24 | R.V.M. | 40 years | Gone to Australia. Complete recovery reported |
| 9/7/24 | F.H. | 7 years | Complete recovery |
| 26/9/24 | B.V. | 53 years | Died 21/9/24 |
| 4/5/25 | C.S | 28 years | Right leg partially paralysed, but walking improving ; right arm tremulous |
| 29/5/26 | H.P. | 33 years | Died 30/5/26 |
The table excludes one case notified 15/11/24 who was subsequently found not to be
suffering from this disease.
In February, 1928, a communication was received from the Medical Officer of Health
of the London County Council respecting non-notified cases of encephalitis lethargica.
Information of such cases in the Borough was forwarded in order that where the patients
were not of school age they could be kept under observation in the same way as notified
cases. Two such cases reside in the Borough, both of whom are visited.
In the first case (P.L.) the illness commenced in 1920 and was reported to have started
with "sleepy sickness" and at the end of 1928 the following report was made by the
visitor:" Slow in speaking but quite intelligent. Left arm paralysed and muscles left