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 1911
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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22
cerebro-spinal fever.
The exemption of children (not infants) and young adults from fatal erysipelas is clearly shown by the following tabulation for sex and age:-
| Ages. | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 0- | 1- | 5- | 15- | 25- | 65- | |||||||
| during | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Erysipelas | 1911 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 5 | 1 | - |
| 1906-10 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | |
| Other Septic Diseases | 1911 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 5 | 3 | - | - |
| 1906-10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | |
The mortality from erysipelas last year was just double the average, that from other septic diseases 0.01 above. (See below.)
| 1911. | 1910. | 1909. | 1908. | 1907. | 1906. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erysipelas | Deaths | 9 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Mortality | 0.06 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.04 | |
| Other Septic Diseases | Deaths | 11 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 11 |
| Mortality | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.07 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.07 | |
CEREBRO-SPINAL FEVER*
(Epidemic Cerebro-spinal Meningitis.)
The notification of this disease was continued for a further period of twelve months by an
Order made by the County Council in February of last year.†
Two cases only were reported under the Order during the year, but two other cases came
to the knowledge of the Department by registration of the deaths of the patients. One of the
cases was notified as " cerebro-spinal meningitis," the other as " posterior basic meningitis," both
cases terminating in death. The notes of the four cases were as follow (the two first being
those notified):—
(1) P. W., f., æ t. 1, residing in Clarendon Street ; father a labourer.
The child was taken ill on Feb. 6th, the attack coming on suddenly after sleep. She had
a convulsive fit on the 7th, on which day she was taken to St. Mary's Hospital, moribund, and
died within an hour. She had a rash ("red circular macules up to J in. in diameter, fading on
pressure ") on admission.
P.M. Examination.—" Very small patches of quite early meningitis over interpeduncular
space and corpora quadrigemina : no sign of tubercle : convolutions flattened : with the exception
of congestion, other viscera absolutely normal."
Bacteriology.—" A Gram-negative intracellular diplococcus was found in smears from the
cerebro-spinal fluid; organisms very minute." No cultivations were made.
The patient's family (12 persons, 6 under 10 years of age) occupied the ground floor (three
rooms) of the house, the back room being verminous. There was one other family of 7 persons
in the house, the third tenement (basement) being empty. The previous occupiers of the
basement (S. family) had had their baby ill some three weeks previously, but the family could not
be traced. There was no history of any other illness in the house, and the child P. W. had not
been away from home.
(2) S.W., m., set. 1, residing in Richmond Mews West; father a carman.
Taken ill March 1st with vomiting and (?) headache, always drowsy and more or less asleep,
but not comatose (15th). Slight retraction of the head. Kernig's sign present. Patient was
admitted to St. Mary's Hospital on March 5th and died April 12th.
*The Royal College of Physicians has advised the County Council that the term " cerebro-spinal fever"
includes, for the purposes of notification, cases of " posterior basic meningitis," but does not include cases of
meningitis due to tubercle, syphilis, middle ear disease, or injury.
†By an Order made in March of this year, the disease has been permanently added to the list of notifiable
diseases.