London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Holborn 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
84
Typhus Fever.
No case of typhus fever was notified during the year in the Borough or in
London.
Cerebro-Spinal Fever.
No case of cerebro-spinal fever was notified in the Borough.
One hundred and twenty-one cases were notified in London, giving rise to
85 deaths.
Bacillary Dysentery.
Two cases of bacillary dysentery were notified.
Both were nurses at a hospital in the Borough where they remained for
treatment, and both patients recovered.
The excellent scientific work carried out by an eminent pathologist at this hospital results
in the presence of dysentery bacilli being discovered in illnesses where otherwise their
presence would not have been detected. In many of these cases the illnesses would otherwise
have been labelled diarrhœa and in some colitis. As a result of this work articles have been
published on the dysentery bacillus as a common factor in colitis in children.
Malaria.
One case of malaria was notified, a male, age 30 years; the disease was
contracted abroad, probably in Ceylon.
Encephalitis Lethargica.
One case of encephalitis lethargica was notified in the Borough during the year.
The following table gives information up to the end of 1929 respecting the 12 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13/1/20 | B.R. | 32 years | Disease fatal 13/1/20 |
| 6/2/20 | P.P. | 8 years | Disease fatal 28/2/20 |
| 7/2/20 | W.W. | 47 years | Disease fatal 7/2/20 |
| 26/4/22 | W.H. | 14 years | Disease fatal 19/4/22 |
| 4/4/24 | A.K. | 28 years | Disease fatal 28/3/24 |
| 16/5/24 | G.C. | 36 years | Returned to Italy; no further information |
| 20/6/24 | R.V.M. | 40 years | Went to Australia. Complete recovery reported |
| 9/7/24 | F.H. | 7 years | Complete recovery |
| 26/9/24 | B.V. | 53 years | Disease fatal 21/9/24 |
| 4/5/25 | C.S. | 28 years | Right leg partially paralysed, but walking improving; right arm tremulous. Does not sleep well; tired and sleepy during day |
| 29/5/26 | H.P. | 33 years | Disease fatal 30/5/26 |
| 22/7/29 | C.M. | 47 years | Returned to West Indies; no further information |
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 four such cases in the Borough was forwarded in order that where the patients