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Scarlet Fever.—227 cases of this disease occurred in 1929, a decrease
of 14 on the figures of 1928. The Covent Garden Ward showed a marked
increase, the distribution in the remaining wards being normal. There
were no deaths. The case rate of this disease per 1,000 of the population
was 1.74 for the City, and for England and Wales 3.05. Of the total
cases in Westminster 98.2 per cent. were removed to hospital.
Diphtheria.—170 cases of this disease occurred, showing a decrease of
63 on the figures of 1928. The wards showing a marked decrease are
St. John, Victoria and Grosvenor. The largest number of cases occurred
between the ages of 5.10 and 20.35. There were 8 deaths (7 males and
1 female) and mostly between the ages of 1.5. giving a rate of 47.0
per 1,000 cases. The case rate of this disease for Westminster was 1.30
per 1,000 living, and for England and Wales 1.59. The death rate for
Westminster was 0.06. and for England and Wales 0.08.
Report ox Schick Testing and Immunisation Treatment against
Diphtheria in Westminster, 1929.
During the year Schick Testing and Immunisation Treatment against
Diphtheria was continued at the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare
Centres and the Westminster Health Society's Centre in Page Street,
one clinic being held each week at each Centre.
Two hundred and four new cases came to the clinics in 1929, as compared
with 256 in 1928. The numbers show some variation, depending
on the presence of diphtheria in the district, the time of year, and possibly
on variations in the other work at the Centres, but on the whole,
there does not seem to be any marked falling off in the number desiring
this treatment.
As in previous years, it was noted that a considerable proportion of
the patients (about 10 per cent.) had not been vaccinated against smallpox.

The work entailed 312 tests and retests, 506 protective injections and
161 attendances for inspection only, a total of 979 attendances.