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56
The total number of notifications relating to Holborn residents received during
the year was 643 in comparison with 495 in the year 1928.
The increase is accounted for by the larger number of notifications received of
the following diseases:—
Diphtheria 72 in comparison with 54 in 1928.
Scarlet Fever 130 ,, ,, 59 ,,
Whooping Cough 153 ,, „ 82 ,,
Pneumonia 89 ,, „ 48 ,,
Also there were 43 notifications of smallpox and 25 of acute rheumatism in
comparison with none in 1928.
Attention has had again especially to be called to the non-notification of
whooping cough and primary pneumonia. A special reference card with complete
list of notifiable diseases is supplied to all doctors practising in the Borough.
In addition to the above we received 218 notifications respecting patients not residing
in Holborn, many being in-patients of hospitals in the Borough. All these were forwarded
to the Medical Officers of Health of the districts concerned. The diseases notified were:—
Diphtheria 47
Scarlet Fever 21
Puerperal Fever 1
Pneumonia 5
Erysipelas 3
Cerebro-spinal Meningitis 1
Encephalitis Lethargica 3
Tuberculosis 90
Enteric Fever 6
Whooping Cough 14
Acute Poliomyelitis 3
Measles 4
Dysentery 19
Ophthalmia Neonatorum 1
218
Smallpox.
Although the present outbreak of smallpox has been of the mild type, owing
to the extensive communications between London and all parts of the world, some
of which at times are hot-beds of virulent smallpox, no one can seriously maintain
that we are free from the risk of the introduction of severe smallpox into our midst.
The present wide spread of mild smallpox is an indication of the extent to which
severe smallpox could spread in a community so ill-vaccinated as this country is
at present. It is unnecessary to stress the advantages of vaccination or dwell
on the trouble and disturbance to the employer when an employee is found to be
suffering even from mild smallpox.