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 1926
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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15
SCARLET FEVER.
During 1926 there were 199 cases of Scarlet Fever notified. Of these there were 4 cases under
the age of 1 year, 65 between the ages of 1 and 5 years, 98 between the ages of 5 and 15 years, 22
between the ages of 15 and 25 years, and 10 over the age of 25 years.
Of the 199 cases 191 were removed to an Isolation Hospital. The remaining cases were treated
at home, proper facilities being available for isolation and treatment. Only 1 death from Scarlet
Fever occurred, the disease being usually of a mild type.
In view of the mildness of the present type of Scarlet Fever and its apparently small degree of
infectiousness, it becomes a question whether it is necessary or desirable that removal to hospital
should be carried out so frequently as at present. In many good-class families accommodation is
available for the proper isolation of the patient, thus avoiding the heavy expense to the rates of
removing the patient to hospital, and the very real risk of contracting another infectious disease by
being put into a common ward. However, in order that a patient should do well when nursed at home
it is essential that a large cheerful room should be available, solely reserved for the patient, and that
there should be a garden available for the patient to use during convalescence. One advantage of
hospital treatment is that the patient finds congenial society and is less lonely than when being treated
at home. These and other considerations should be discussed between the parents or relatives of
the patient and the medical attendant, and if removal to hospital is decided upon, it should be largely
on the grounds of convenience and the welfare of the patient.
1926.
Notifications of Scarlet Fever.
Four-Weekly Periods.
| Period No. 1. | Period No. 2. | Period No. 3. | Period No. 4. | Period No. 5. | Period No. 6. | Period No. 7. | Period No. 8. | Period No. 9. | Period No. 10. | Period No. 11. | Period No. 12. | Period No. 13. | Totals. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 968 | 1,001 | 928 | 906 | 981 | 958 | 1,034 | 738 | 702 | 1,009 | 1,121 | 1,125 | 894 | 12,368 |
| Paddington | 20 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 21 | 19 | 199 |
| Wards— | ||||||||||||||
| Queen's Park | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 45 |
| Harrow Road | 3 | 3 | — | 1 | 5 | — | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 33 |
| Maida Vale | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 25 |
| Town | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 9 |
| Church | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | 27 |
| Westbourne | 3 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | 5 | 31 |
| Lancaster Gate, West | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 4 |
| Lancaster Gate, East | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
| Hyde Park | 2 | — | 4 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 19 |
DIPHTHERIA.
(Including Membranous Croup).
During 1926 there were 463 cases of diphtheria notified. Of these there were 16 cases
under the age of 1 year, 137 between the ages of 1 and 5 years, 238 between the ages of 5 and 15
years, 45 between the ages of 15 and 25 years, 24 between the ages of 25 and 45 years, and 3
aged 45 years and upwards.
Of the 463 cases, 450 were removed to an Isolation Hospital. The remaining cases were treated
at home, proper facilities being available for isolation and treatment. Twenty-one deaths from this
disease occurred during 1926, 14 of the deaths being those of children under the age of 5 years.
Comparison with previous years is as follows:—
| 1919 | 17 deaths. |
| 1920 | 25 „ |
| 1921 | 22 „ |
| 1922 | 25 „ |
| 1923 | 14 „ |
| 1924 | 14 „ |
| 1925 | 11 „ |
| 1926 | 21 „ |
Seasonal prevalence.—The following tables show the numbers of cases notified in each fourweekly
period during 1926.