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 1910
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stoke Newington, The Metropolitan Borough]
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38
ENTERIC OR TYPHOID FEVER.
The 10 cases notified during the year all occurred in (nine,
different houses. In 1 of these houses grave insanitary conditions
existed, and in 1 slight insanitary conditions existed; while in the
remaining 7 there were no insanitary conditions. Three of the cases
doubtless contracted the disease outside of London during the summer
and autumn holidays. The origin of the infection remained quite
obscure in the majority of cases, and in several instances, as I pointed
out in a previous Report, the patient had been ailing for several
weeks before he took to his bed and the disease was diagnosed.
In 2 cases, the original infection was responsible for the disease in a second individual in the same dwelling.
| Year. | Death-Rate for Stoke Newington. | Rate for London generally. | Rate for England and Wales. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 0.08 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1902 | 0.08 | 0.12 | 0.13 |
| 1903 | 0. 09 | 0.08 | 0.10 |
| 1904 | 0.11 | 0.06 | 0.09 |
| 1905 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.09 |
| 1906 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.09 |
| 1907 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.07 |
| 1908 | 0.08 | 0.05 | 0.07 |
| 1909 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| 1910 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
It is not easy to assess the influence of "carrier cases" of
Enteric Fever in maintaining the prevalence of the disease. It
appears that from 2.3 per cent. of previous sufferers may become
"carriers" of the germ for many months and, in exceptional cases,
many years; and at times they may be capable of spreading infection.
One of the most disturbing features in connection with this subject