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
Paddington 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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DIPHTHERIA.
19
The deaths scheduled as due to diphtheria numbered 10, and included 2 not reported
during life. Of the latter one was certified as dying of “ulcerated throat” (there had
been a case of diphtheria in the family at the time the deceased was ill) and the other of heart
failure following diphtheritic paralysis, the nature of the illness apparently not having been
recognised during life. Of the remaining 17 deaths, 12 occurred in hospital (equal to 13.3 per
cent. of the cases removed) and 5 at home (14.2 per cent. of the cases kept at home). The
fatality last year, calculated on the uncorrected total notifications, was 13.7 per cent. rather
higher than that of 1903 (10.3). The local fatality was higher than that for the whole
Metropolis (10.0 per cent.)
The mortality last year was 0.13, 0.03 above the rate for 1003, but below the rate for
the Metropolis (0.15). The local rate was higher than any recorded in the adjacent districts,
that of Willesden (0.11) excepted. (Table 14). On the other hand the local rate was the
lowest of those given in Table 15.
Last year's mortality rates were all markedly below the various mean rates, as will be seen from the appended statement:— Diphtheria: Death-rates Per 1,000 persons.
| Mean Rates. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five years. | Five years. | Ten years. | ||
| 1904. | 1894-1898. | 1897-1903. | 1894-1903. | |
| Borough | 0.13 | 0.57 | 0.22 | 0.40 |
| St. Mary | 0.13 | 0-69 | 0.23 | 0.46 |
| St. John | 0.06 | 0.21 | 0.07 | 0.14 |
| North-West Paddington... | 0.24 | 0.08 | 0.46 | 0.57 |
Definite records of multiple attacks of diphtheria in the same patient are sufficiently
rare to render the following particulars generally interesting:—
W.B., f. æt. 5; sickened 14th September, 1904; to hospital 15th September. The girl had a previous attack on
October 4th, 1903, for which she was removed to hospital.
F.D., f. æt. 3; sickened March 31st, 1904; to hospital April 6th. The girl had a previous attack on December
13th, 1903, went to hospital on December 14th, and returned home at the end of January, 1904.
L.N., f. æt. 8; sickened May 29th, 1904; to hospital May 30th. Previous attack May 13th, 1903, treated in
hospital.
A.J., f. æt. 14; sickened February 27th, 1904; to hospital February 28th. Previous attacks—September 1st,
1903, treated in hospital; August 13th, 1902, treated in hospital.
All the patients were removed to the Asylums Board's Hospitals, and inquiries made
elicited confirmation of the diagnosis on each and every occasion. No explanation can be
offered of the recurrence of susceptibility manifested in these cases, which is quite contrary
to the usual experience.