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

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Holborn 1924

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

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84
regards the proportion of children removed to hospital. The number of requests
from parents for their children to be so removed exceeded the number received
in previous years. Obviously children of the poorer inhabitants can receive far
better attention in a hospital, and when well enough to get out into the air they
can do so without spreading the infection to others.
In the case of those who are not removed, very little progress has been made
in the parents' willingness to isolate their children. They are sent out into the
streets to play, especially when the elder children are in school, and are taken
out by theri mothers when shopping.
The difficulty of educating parents on this point is increased by the fact
that, according to their statements, they have been advised by their doctor to take
the child out as much as possible; the interest of the community is overlooked
in that of the individual.
Measles.
The notification of measles was discontinued at the end of 1919, but during
1924, I received information of 267 cases of measles. Of these 108 were notified
by school teachers, 43 by medical practitioners, information of 47 was given by
the Metropolitan Asylums Board, of 4 by the London Fever Hospital, of 39 by the
Health Visitors, 18 by parents, 4 by creches, 2 by the death returns, and 2 by
nursing homes.
An outbreak of measles commenced in the Borough about November 7th,
1923, and continued throughout the early months of 1924.
Ages.
9 were under 1 year.
134 were between 1 and 5 years.
103 were between 5 and 16 years.
21 were over 16.
Contacts.
87 had no contacts, the L.C.C. definition of a contact being used.

180 had contacts, the number of contacts was 720, of whom 230 were susceptible, 490 having already suffered from an attack.

No. of cases and524326171274253112211
No. of contacts12345678910111415161724
No. of cases and602613821211
No. of susceptible contacts123456789

Spread in Family.
The 267 cases occurred in 162 families. In 117 families 1 case occurred, in
32 families 2 cases occurred, in 11 families 3 cases occurred and in 2 families
4 cases.