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
Stoke Newington 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stoke Newington, The Metropolitan Borough]
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Chelsea and the City of London (5.1), and the highest rates were those
of Bethnal Green (12.2), Stepney (11.3) and Poplar (10.7).
232 of the cases notified were removed from their homes to
Isolation Hospitals.
SCARLET FEVER.
The 195 cases of Scarlet Fever occurred in 161 houses, in 8 of which there were grave insanitary conditions; in 23 the insanitary conditions were slight, and in the remaining houses there was an absence of such conditions.
| Year. | Death-Rate for Stoke Newington. | Rate for London generally. | Rate for England and Wales. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 0.08 | 0.13 | 0.13 |
| 1902 | 0.09 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1903 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.12 |
| 1904 | 0.06 | 0.08 | 0.11 |
| 1905 | 0.06 | 0.12 | 0.11 |
| 1906 | 0.02 | 0.11 | 0.10 |
| 1907 | 0.13 | 0.14 | 0.09 |
| 1908 | 0.09 | 0.11 |
School attendance was ascribed as the origin of the infection
in 23 cases; and in three cases there were strong reasons for believing
that the infection was communicated by a patient recently dismissed
from a fever hospital. These "return cases" have received a great
deal of consideration by the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and their
origin, cause and possibilities of prevention, have been very
thoroughly investigated. It appears that despite all precautions
some three to four per cent, of Scarlet Fever convalescents upon
their return home from hospital are capable of conveying infection
to others. The infection was imported into the Borough in at least
five instances.