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
City of Westminster 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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24
B.—Commonicable diseases.
The details respecting the notifications of infectious disease received
are set out in the form required by the Ministry on the adjoining page.
The following summary shows the number of cases which came to the notice of the Department in 1919 and 1920.
| 1919. | 1920. | 1919. | 1920. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-pox | 1 | — | Poliomyelitis | — | — |
| Cholera (C). Plague (R) | — | — | Encephalitis lethargica | 4 | 3 |
| Diphtheria | 133 | 229 | Ophthalmia neonatorum | 25 | — |
| Erysipelas | 75 | 70 | Measles | 516 | 703 |
| Scarlet fever | 239 | 395 | German measles | 159 | 45 |
| Typhus fever | — | — | Pneumonia | 187 | 112 |
| Enteric fever | 9 | 14 | Malaria | 33 | 10 |
| Relapsing fever (R) | — | — | Dysentery | — | 3 |
| Continued fever (C) | — | 1 | Trench fever | — | — |
| Puerperal fever (C) | 5 | 10 | Anthrax | 2 | — |
| Cerebro-spinal meningitis | 4 | 4 |
Smallpox.—No cases were notified, but two cases occurred in persons
who were employed in Westminster. Contacts were carefully watched
and no secondary cases developed. Information was received of 176
persons coming to Westminster who had been in contact with cases, or
coming from infected ports. These were kept under observation.
The Public Vaccinators and the Vaccination Officers have forwarded the following particulars for the year:—
| Ordinary vaccinations | 1,707 |
| Re-vaccinations | 102 |
None were performed by the Medical Officer of Health under the
Public Health (Smallpox Protection Regulations, 1917).
Scarlet fever.—There was a sharp increase of this disease in the latter
part of the year, but the total number of cases was below the average
of pre-war years. 5 cases were fatal—1.25 per cent. of the cases notified.
Diphtheria also increased, and the number of cases was larger than in
any preceding year. Medical men were supplied with antitoxin free for
all cases of diphtheria unable to be moved or in which any delay was
likely to occur; 55 bulbs were so supplied. 10 persons died from
diphtheria; 4-3 per cent, of the cases notified. Swabbings from 331
throats were submitted for bacteriological examination.