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

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City of Westminster 1912

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]

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31
The following is a summary of the total primary vaccinations
performed in the City during the years 1901-12, and of re-vaccinations
in so far as these were made by the Public Vaccinators:—

Vaccination Returns.

Primary Vaccinations under 14 years of age, in the Union District ofRe-vaccinations performed by Public Vaccinators in the Union District of
St. George's.Westminster.Strand.St. George's.Westminster.Strand.
19012,4671,4917254,0393,3172,201
19022,8937154507,4536,2263,910
19032,1783692451599347
19042,065325*1447213398
19052,162498142477418
19062,110372145515397
19072,013443155457468
19081,898284138378413
19091,9023701483935399
19101,652326188435517
19111,60628818119363673
19121,48618722018493

* There were also 16 primary vaccinations of persons over 14 years of age.
Scarlet Fever.—I said in my last report that "It is possible that
the character of the summer affects the subsequent crop of cases, if so,
we may expect a larger number in the first half of 1912. The disease
became more prevalent in London from September onwards." From the
tables appended it will be seen that there were more cases in each
quarter of 1912. In Westminster it was only in the second quarter that
they exceeded the cases in 1911.
The death rate continued low.
In 17 instances, 2 cases occurred during the year in the same house,
and in 4 instances 3 cases, and in 1 instance 4 cases. In 6 instances
the disease was eventually found not to be scarlet fever.
A foreign woman called in a medical practitioner to see her child,
who was unwell, and was informed by him that the child was suffering
from scarlet fever; not being satisfied, however, she carried the child to
the Middlesex Hospital, where the diagnosis was confirmed, and the
child sent to a fever hospital. She was prosecuted for exposing her
child while suffering from an infectious disease, and fined 7s. 6d., the
magistrate taking into account the fact that the woman was a foreigner
and perhaps did not fully understand her position.
Diphtheria.—Cases of diphtheria in Westminster were most
numerous in the first three quarters of the year. Of the 160 cases