Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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16
pneumonia
The 7 reported cases included two errors, one of which died—of tuberculous meningitis—
that being the only death among this group of patients. Five of the 7 patients received
hospital treatment, one being admitted to a Hospital of the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
The Pneumonias.
The above heading includes, for the purposes of this Report, two forms of "pneumonia",
viz "primary lobar" and "influenzal" pneumonia. Broncho-pneumonia should also be notified
under the Regulations of 1919, but was not pressed until after the end of 1921 in consequence
of a letter from the Ministry of Health (received in 1919) which gave a wrong impression of
the interpretation of the Regulations which was not corrected until this year (1922.)
Influenzal Pneumonia.—In 1919,87 cases were notified, and in 1920, 45. Last year the
number fell to 27—12 in males and 15 in females. The ages of the patients are set out below.
The greatest diminution appears to have taken place in the age-group 45-65 years. The
Influenzal Pneumonia : Borough Cases.
Ages | 0- | 15- | 45- | 65- | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
1919 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 27 | 14 | 14 | 4 | 3 |
1920 | 1 | — | 20 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
1921 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
distribution of cases in the Wards is shown below. The figures are too small and do not cover
a sufficiently long period to enable any useful comments to be made.
Influenzal Pneumonia : Wards : Cases.
Queen.s Park | Harrow Road | Maida Vale | West-bourni | Church | Lancaster Gate | Hyde Park | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
West | East | |||||||
1919 | 6 | 14 | 23 | 14 | 14 | 11 | — | 5 |
1920 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
1921 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | — | 1 |
Institutional Treatment.—Of the cases notified during the past year, 15 received treatment
in institutions, 11 of the patients being admitted to the Infirmary. The proportion receiving
institutional treatment was 55.5 per cent. of the total notified, as compared with 28.0 per cent.
for the years 1919-20.
Fatality.—The deaths among the notified cases numbered 5, 4 taking place in institutions.
All five deaths were classified to "epidemic influenza."
Epidemic Influenza.—The deaths attributed to this disease numbered 41 last year, as
compared with 28 in 1920, 164 in 1919 and 358 in 1918—the epidemic year. The sex-age and
Ward distributions of the deaths are set out below.
Epidemic Influenza : Deaths : Borough.
Ages | 0- | 15- | 45- | 65- | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
1919 | 4 | 4 | 25 | 55 | 25 | 20 | 16 | 15 |
1920 | — | — | 5 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
1921 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 7 |
Deaths : Wards.
Queen.s Park | Harrow Road | Maida Vale | West-bourne | Church | Lancaster Gate | Hyde Park | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
West | East | |||||||
1919 | 13 | 20 | 35 | 33 | 27 | 13 | 6 | 27 |
1920 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
1921 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 4 |
Primary (Lobar) Pneumonia.—The cases notified as "primary pneumonia" during the
year numbered 105—64 in males and 41 in females. During 1919 the notified cases numbered
83 (5 subsequently marked errors) and in 1920, 96 (2 errors.)
Of the 105 cases reported during the past year, 71 received institutional treatment,
56 being admitted to the Infirmary. The cases so treated formed 67 6 per cent. of the
notifications, showing a marked increase above the proportion (39T per cent.) for 1919-20. Of
the 105 cases notified, 24 ended fatally, equal to 22.8 per cent., the fatalities among the
patients treated in institutions being—all institutions, 18.3; Infirmary 21.4—and among those
treated at home, 32.3. Of the 24 deaths, 22 were attributed to either lobar or unqualified
pneumonia, and one each to epidemic influenza and miliary tuberculosis.