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19
ACUTE PRIMARY PNEUMONIA, ACUTE INFLUENZAL PNEUMONIA.
Two hundred and forty-seven (247) cases of acute primary pneumonia were notified
in 1929, as compared with 202 in 1928, 183 in 1927, 184 in 1926 and 265 in 1925. Of the
247 cases, 169 were nursed in institutions. One hundred and thirty-five (135) cases of
acute influenzal pneumonia were notified as compared with 59 in 1928, 107 in 1927, 76 in
1926 and 88 in 1925. Of the 135 cases, 69 were nursed in institutions.
One hundred and five cases of pneumonia of all kinds received nursing attention at
home under the auspices of the Council scheme for district nursing, 1,564 visits being paid.
ANTHRAX, CHOLERA, DYSENTERY, GLANDERS, HYDROPHOBIA, PLAGUE,
RELAPSING FEVER, TYPHUS FEVER.
No cases of these diseases were notified during 1929.
WHOOPING-COUGH.
This disease is notifiable in only three London boroughs and not in Paddington. Since
both the cause of the disease and effective means for treating it are unknown it would not
appear that notification could assist very much in checking it. Whooping-cough is very
infectious in the catarrhal stage, before the characteristic whoop develops, and this adds to
the difficulty in dealing with the disease.
In 1929, 71 persons died of whooping-cough, 69 of these being children under the age of
5 years. The number of deaths in 1928 and 1927 were 12 and 38 respectively.
CANCER.
The deaths from cancer are growing in number year by year in every part of the country,
including Paddington. It is now one of the commonest causes of death, and the number of
deaths, 284, which occurred in Paddington last year is larger than in any previous year. Careful
analysis of the figures demonstrates that the increase is a real one and is only partly accounted
for by increased longevity and consequent proclivity to the disease, and by more accurate
diagnosis on the part of doctors.