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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 1905
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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30 measles.
(average 1.7). The frequency of multiple infections is further shown by the following tabulation:—
| 1905. | 1904. | 1903. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houses with 1 case each | 495 | 237 | 242 | |||
| „ 2 cases „ | 257 | 166 | 141 | |||
| „ 3 „ „ | 143 | 59 | 60 | |||
| „ 4 „ „ | 43 | 25 | 30 | |||
| „ 5 ,, ,, | 16 | 5 | 10 | |||
| „ 6 „ „ | 4 | 3 | 3 | |||
| „ 7 ,, „ | — | 1 | 3 | |||
| „ 8 „ „ | — | — | 2 | |||
In 1903 the "single attacks" (that is, instances of only one attack in the house)
constituted 26 per cent, of the whole; in 1904, 24 per cent.; and, in 1905, 29 per cent.
With a more general infection of the District, it would be expected that the proportion of
" single attacks " would have been lower, not higher.
The numbers of cases and deaths in the three Registration Sub-Districts at various ages
(distinguishing the sexes) are given below:—
TABLE 21.
Measles: 1905.
| Registration Sub-Districts. | Ages. | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0- | 1- | 2- | 3- | 4- | 5- | 13- | 15- | ||||||||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | ||
| St. Mary | Cases | 29 | 54 | 74 | 92 | 70 | 83 | 86 | 94 | 121 | 107 | 176 | 230 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 19 |
| 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| St. John | Cases | 3 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 22 | 49 | 50 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| North-West Paddington | Cases | 5 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 15 | 21 | 15 | 22 | 25 | 41 | 56 | — | — | 1 | 2 |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| Borough. | |||||||||||||||||
| Fatality per 100 known cases | 1905 | 13.5 | 16.9 | 9.3 | 15.1 | 5.8 | 2.6 | . | 4.1 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.5 | — | — | — | — |
| 1904 | 26.9 | 20.9 | 13.6 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 1.2 | — | — | — | 5.5 | |
| 1903 | 7.1 | 12.9 | 19.1 | 7.6 | 14.7 | 9.6 | — | — | — | 1.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
The data contained in the foregoing table indicate that the age of three years is a
crucial point in the fatality of measles. This is shown also if the fatalities be calculated on
cases and deaths above and below that age.
In 1904 there were 278 cases (150 males and 128 females) at ages under 3 years, and
26 deaths (17 males and 9 females). The fatalities per 100 known cases were—
Males, 11.3 | Females, 7.0 | Persons, 9.3
At ages of 3 years and upwards there were 618 cases (292 males and 326 females) and
13 deaths (6 males and 7 females). The fatalities were—
Males, 2.0 | Females, 21 | Persons, 2.1