London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Poplar 1910

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]

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131
Errors in Diagnosis.
Five cases sent to various hospitals, 1 in Poplar, 2 in Bromley, and
2 in Bow were certified (see list pages 76-78) as not suffering from
Typhoid Fever:—so that in the 62 notified cases, 5 patients were
certified from hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board as not
suffering from the complaint (see page 79).
Bacteriological Examinations of Doubtful and Convalescent
Cases.
Thirty-five specimens of blood from doubtful cases of Typhoid Fever
were forwarded to the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine. In 17
instances (48.5 per cent.) the Typhoid (Widal) reaction was obtained.
On 22nd January, 1909, in accordance with arrangements made by
the Local Government Board, directions were received from the Lister
Institute of Preventive Medicine, with reference to the examination of the
stools and urine of Enteric Fever patients discharged from the Metropolitan
Asylums Board's Hospitals in cases in which the bacillus was still
harboured. The arrangements have been carried out as far as practicable.
On 1st January, 1910, instructions were received from the Local
Government Board, extending the afore-mentioned arrangements to all
cases of Typhoid Fever discharged from the Metropolitan Asylums
Board's Hospitals, whether the bacillus was harboured or not upon the
discharge of the patient from hospital.
Deaths.
Two Poplar parishioners died from Typhoid Fever, 7 fatal eases
occurred among the Bromley patients, and 4 among the Bow, making a
total of 13 deaths in 57 cases.
* Twenty-eight cases were removed to hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums
Board, and 27 cases were treated in other institutions. (See page 128.)