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86
Pneumonia.
Eighty-nine cases of pneumonia were notified during the year. Twenty-six of
these were influenzal pneumonia. Forty-one deaths were recorded from all forms
of pneumonia.
The 63 cases of primary pneumonia were notified at the following ages:— Under 1 year, 4;
from 1 to 5 years, 13; from 5 to 15 years, 4; from 15 to 25 years, 4; from 25 to 45 years, 17;
from 45 to 65 years, 13; and 65 years and upwards, 8. Twenty were treated at home; 16 were
removed to voluntary hospitals; and 25 to Poor Law Infirmaries; and 2 to a nursing home.
Seven of the patients were nursed by the Metropolitan Nursing Association under the
arrangments made by the Council, in all 159 visits being paid to these patients.
Of the 63 cases of primary pneumonia, 20 resided in tenement lodging houses, 22 in
separate private dwelling houses or model dwellings, 7 in hotels, and 5 in common lodging
houses, 4 in boarding houses, 4 were office caretakers, and 1 was a nurse at a nursery home.
The cleanliness of the houses was reported to be satisfactory in 38 cases, but only fairly
so in 11; and in one case as unsatisfactory. The economic conditions of the families concerned
were found to be good in 12 casts, fair in 24, poor in 8; 7 cases were nursed in a separate
room. In a number of rases information as to the economic condition was not obtainable.
In a number of cases the disease was not ascribed to any special cause, but the following
was given in 34 instances:—
Following bronchitis 8
Following influenza 8
Following cold 12
Following pleurisy 1
Following cough and nasal discharge 1
Following whooping cough and bronchitis 1
Following exposure to bad weather 1
After nursing case of pneumonia 1
After a "stroke" 1
Influenza.
There were 44 deaths from influenza in comparison with only 3 in 1928, 20 in
1027, 8 in 1926, 9 in 1925, and 11 in 1924. The deaths occurred at the following
ages: Under 1 year, 1; 25 to 45 years, 1; 45 to 65 years, 20; 65 to 75 years, 9;
over 75 years, 13.
In the early part of the year influenza was prevalent; the increase in
the number of deaths from this disease is responsible for the increased
death rate in the Borough this year. Ordinary preventive measures do
not seem to have any marked effects on the prevalence of this disease; this
to a live medical world postulates efforts made in other directions. In this
country these efforts are taking' the direction of attempts to discover a
suitable vaccine to be injected as a preventive at the appropriate time, i.e.
before the disease comes rife. Research workers should be helped
forward in every way possible in their endeavour to find means to combat
this widespread and frequently recurring disease. The public should be
willing to spend money on research.
Anthrax.
No case of anthrax was notified in the Borough during the year.