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

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Holborn 1901

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

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20
SCARLET FEVER.
During the fifty-two weeks ending Saturday, the 28th December, 1901, the number of Scarlet
Fever notifications, excluding duplicates, was 254; 150 in Bloomsbury and St. Giles, and 104 in the
Holborn Sub-Division. Of these 238 were removed to hospital, 141 from Bloomsbury and St. Giles
and 97 from the Holborn Sub-Division. There were only 3 deaths, 1 belonging to Bloomsbury and
St. Giles, and 2 to the Holborn Sub-District.
The greatest incidence of the disease was during the four weeks prior to the closure of the
schools for the summer holidays when 48 cases were notified. During the holidays scarlet fever much
diminished and during the four weeks ending August 31st, only 17 notifications were received.
During the period of greatest incidence the schools most affected were Tower Street and
St. George's, Bloomsbury.
DIPHTHERIA.
The number of cases of Diphtheria notified was 161, of which 60 belonged to Bloomsbury and
St. Giles, and 101 to the Holborn Sub-District, 56 of the former and 96 of the latter were removed to
hospital There was also a case of Membranous Croup notified in Bloomsbury and removed to hospital.
There were 14 deaths from this disease, 6 belonging to Bloomsbury and St. Giles, and 8 to the Holborn
Sub-District. The mortality was only 8.7 per cent.
The disease was most prevalent during the months August to October inclusive.
ENTERIC FEVER.
Only 39 cases were notified, of which 17 belonged to Bloomsbury and St. Giles, and 22 to the
Holborn Sub-District. Of these 12 died, 7 belonging to the former District and 5 to the latter. The
mortality was high, being 30.8 per cent.
The disease was most prevalent in July and August, 8 cases being notified each of these
months; during the second quarter of the year only one case was notified.
One patient who died, contracted the disease by visiting a family at Harringay, where the
mother and five children were suffering from the disease.
WHOOPING COUGH.
The number of deaths from Whooping Cough was much less than last year, there having been
only 4 deaths in Bloomsbury and St. Giles from the disease, and 6 in the Holborn Sub-Division, in
comparison with 13 and 10 respectively in the year 1900.
DIARRHœA.
The number of deaths assigned to Diarrhœa (including some deaths of young children in the
summer months certified as Gastro-Enteritis) was 42; 18 belonging to Bloomsbury and St. Giles, and
24 to the Holborn Sub-District. There were also 5 deaths from Enteritis.
Last May a copy of the following Memorandum on Certification of "Diarrhœa" deaths, which
was prepared by the Incorporated Society of Medical Officers of Health, was sent to each of the
Registered Medical Practitioners in the Borough.
Memorandum on Certification of "Diarrhœa" Death.
"Much confusion having arisen from the numerous synonyms, unauthorised by the Royal
College of Physicians, which for some years past have been increasingly used in the certification of