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
Islington 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
89 [1938
Apart from constant visitation by the Sanitary Inspectors at the homes, serum
reactions were made and specimens of material were examined at the Government
Laboratory.
The other cases of Enteric Fever, five in number, were all isolated
individual cases of obscure origin.
Puerperal Fever.—19 cases were notified, and were 16 below the average
of the preceding ten years; the attack rate was 0.44 per 1,000 births.
Erysipelas.—158 cases were notified, and were 2 below the average of the
preceding ten years, the attack-rate being 0.54 per 1,000 of the civil population.
FATALITY FROM THE PRINCIPAL NOTIFIABLE
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
By "Fatality" is meant the percentage proportion of deaths to attacks of
sickness.
During the year it was found that of the 1,486 cases notified, 36 deaths occurred, or 2.4 per cent., which contrasts with an average percentage of 2.6 in the preceding ten years 1928-37.
| Years. | Cases. | Deaths. | Fatility. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | 2,260 | 60 | 2.7 |
| 1929 | 2,439 | 57 | 2.3 |
| 1930 | 3,057 | 80 | 2.6 |
| 1931 | 2,111 | 43 | 2.0 |
| 1932 | 1,962 | 50 | 2.7 |
| 1933 | 2,016 | 67 | 3.3 |
| 1934 | 2,227 | 65 | 2.9 |
| 1935 | 1,639 | 30 | 1.8 |
| 1936 | 1,504 | 57 | 3.1 |
| 1937 | 1,527 | 38 | 2.4 |
| Mean | 2,074 | 55 | 2.6 |
| 1938 | 1,486 | 36 | 2.4 |
Hospital Isolation.—Of the 1,486 cases of infectious disease notified, 1,364
were isolated in hospital, equal to a percentage of 91.8, while 8.2 per cent. of the
patients were nursed at home.
The following tabular statement shows the number of cases treated in the various public institutions:—
| Year. | Cases treated in Hospital. | Percentage of cases treated. |
|---|---|---|
| 1928 | 2,153 | 95.3 |
| 1929 | 2,337 | 95.8 |
| 1930 | 2,879 | 94.2 |
| 1931 | 2,015 | 95.4 |
| 1932 | 1,879 | 95.7 |
| 1933 | 1,911 | 94.3 |
| 1934 | 2,064 | 92.6 |
| 1935 | 1,572 | 94.7 |
| 1936 | 1,397 | 92.2 |
| 1937 | 1,468 | 96.1 |
| 1938 | 1,364 | 91.8 |