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Antitoxin, for use in cases of diphtheria, is provided free of charge
for medical practitioners attending patients residing in the City. The
supply is available on application at the City Hall, and at the Council's
Mortuary in Horseferry Road. It is apparent from the small amount
used (12 bulbs, each containing 8,000 units) that practitioners prefer
to send their patients at once into the fever hospitals, where antitoxin
is administered on admission to all cases of clinical diphtheria. In
times of epidemic, however, when the capacity of the fever hospitals is
greatly taxed, there tends to be delay in admitting cases, and it is then
that practitioners make full use of the antitoxin supplied by the Council.
Bacteriological Diagnosis.— Swabs from suspected cases among
those residing in the City may be examined by the Council's bacteriologist
free of charge to the practitioners attending. The materials for swabbing
are supplied by the Council, and reports are in the first instance telephoned
or telegraphed to the doctor concerned, and written reports follow. The
number of throat swabs examined by the Council's bacteriologist during
each year since 1925, was:—
1925. 1926. 1927. 1928. 1929.
674 679 595 646 607
Enteric Fever.—There were 7 cases of typhoid and paratyphoid
which came to the knowledge of the department during 1929. Of these
were notified as paratyphoid and 3 as typhoid. There was a history
of fish having been consumed in 1 case, watercress 1, ice cream 1, 2 cases
came from abroad, and no history was obtainable in 2 cases.
There were no deaths. The death rate of this disease for England
and Wales was 0.01. The case rate for England and Wales was 0.07 and
for westminster 0.05.
Measles.—The following table shows the number of cases notified
head teachers of schools, the Metropolitan Asylums Board, hospitals
and private practitioners during the last five years:—
1925. 1926. 1927. 1928. 1929.
117 1,026 71 997 381
The death-rate for England and Wales per 1,000 population was
0.08, for London 0.04, and for Westminster 0.03. 129 cases were
moved to hospital (119 to the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums
Board and 10 to private hospitals). 59 cases were under 5 years of
age, and 4 deaths occurred, all females between the ages of 1 and 5
years.
Table XXV.
Influenza.—The deaths certified from this cause during the last
five years are as follows:—