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 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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SCARLET FEVER.
15
SCARLET FEVER.
The increased prevalence of this disease which has been noted in the Metropolis since
1903 was maintained last year. In 1900 the cases reported numbered 20,326, and last year
25,922—an increase of 27 per cent. In the Borough the notifications received last year
showed a decrease amounting to 17 per cent., the cases falling from 715 (the highest total
since 1896, 909 cases) to 579. The morbidity rate for the Borough was 3.87, as against 4.81
in 1906, and a mean of 2.88 for the five years 1902-06 (Table 4). In the Metropolis the rate
was 5.44 last year, 4.30 in 1906, and 3.59 during 1902-06. In comparison with the circumjacent
districts (Table 7) the local rate for last year was the highest of the series, but on
comparing the rates for the two last years, the reduction in last year's rate for the Borough
is the greatest (1.00 per 1,000), while increased rates were recorded in Kensington (0.31 per
1,000) and in Marylebone (0.33 per 1,000).
The cases reported in the first half of the year exceeded the quinquennial average for the
half year by 165, while those reported in the second half were 12 below the average. The
outbreak which began in the second quarter of the 1906 was practically over by the middle of last year, having lasted just a twelvemonth.
That is made evident by the appended statement of the quarterly figures for the two years.
| 1906. | 1907. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Cases reported | 48 | 164 | 213 | 290 | 216 | 112 | 120 | 131 |
| (1901-05.) | (1902-06.) | |||||||
| Averages | ||||||||
An outbreak of 16 cases in a training home during the second half of last year checked
the fall which was taking place. The incidence of the disease was specially heavy during
the first quarter of the year in Queen's Park, Harrow Road, Church and Hyde Park Wards.
In Westbourne Ward the numbers for the third and fourth quarters were swollen by the
outbreak already referred to.
Regarding the first case reported in a house during the year a primary case, many of such
cases were secondary to cases dealt with in 1906, others again "return cases" arising therefrom,
last year's total of 579 may be divided in 414 primary and 165 secondary cases, the latter
constituting 28.5* per cent. of the whole, as compared with 25 and 15 per cent. in 1906 and 1905 respectively.
The numbers of houses with multiple cases during the last four years are indicated below:—
| 1907. | 1906. | 1905. | 1904. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houses with 2 cases | 63 | 77 | 31 | 35 |
| „ 3 „ | 21 | 23 | 6 | 10 |
| „ 4 „ | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 |
| „ 5 „ | 2 | 4 | - | 2 |
| „ 6 „ | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| „ 7 „ | 1 | - | - | - |
| „ 12 „ | - | 1 | - | - |
| „ 16* „ | 1 | - |
From notes made during the year the following circumstances attending the occurrence
of multiple cases have been abstracted:—
In 3 of the 63 houses with two cases the patients were treated at home, and in 9 others both cases were
reported at the same time.
* By omitting the special outbreak already referred to the percentage of secondary cases is reduced to 26.6