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
Poplar 1905
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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as diphtheria were 11 of tonsillitis, 1 of pneumonia, 1 of pharyngeal
abscess, 1 of measles, 1 of coryza, 1 of stomatitis and 1 of influenza.
Amongst the 11 cases wrongly certified as enteric fever were 7 of
pneumonia, 1 of gastritis, 1 of enteritis, 1 of diarrhoea, and 1 of
general tuberculosis.
In the course of the year 1904 no fewer than 1,993 patients
against 1,913 in 1903 and 2,108 in 1902, or a percentage on the
total admissions of 10 7 in 1904, 10 4 in 1903 and 8.6 in 1902 were,
after admission at the fever hospitals, found not to be suffering
from the diseases mentioned in the medical certi6cates upon which
they were removed to hospital.
The number of cases wrongly notified in Poplar and London for the years 1899—1905, and removed to Infectious Diseases Hospitals, have been as follow—
| Percentage of mistakes in total admissions. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Poplar. | London. | ||
| 1899 | 49 cases | 8.4 | 6.3 |
| 1900 | 60 „ | 7.3 | 7.9 |
| 1901 | 131 „ | 13.1 | 9.2 |
| 1902 | 93 „ | 6.3 | 8.6 |
| 1903 | 46 „ | 6.5 | 10.4 |
| 1904 | 54 „ | 5.5 | 10.7 |
| 1905 | 57 „ | 4.7 | 9.04 |
The Holborn Borough Council called attention to the fact that
during the past five years not less than 10,000 patients had been
admitted to hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board suffering
from diseases for which the hospitals were not provided, and were
detained for an average period of three weeks, at a cost for the
period referred to of about £60,000. It was suggested a Conference
should be held between the Metropolitan Asylums Board and the
Borough Councils, with a view to discussing remedies for the state
of affairs referred to.