View report page

73
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
The above and other precautions that are now taken with
regard to this disease in elementary schools have proved most
beneficial, and have been the means of checking the occurrence of
multiple cases to a considerable extent.
Of the total number of cases of Diphtheria, five or .90 per cent,
occurred among children under one year, 129 or 23 per cent, among
children from one and under five years, 336 or 60.8 per cent, from
five and under 15 years, 48 or 8.6 per cent., from 15 and under 25
years, and 34 or 6.1 per cent, from 25 and under 65 years. Compared
with the previous year there has been an increase at five
and under 15 years.
Of the 464 cases of Diphtheria removed to Hospital, 42 were
reported not to have suffered from Diphtheria.
As will be observed from the number of cases notified, shown
in Table XL., Diphtheria, like Scarlet Fever, was more prevalent
during the year 1914, than in the five previous years, and this
prevalence was general in London as a whole. The mortality was
also higher than in the previous five years with the exception of
1909.
Return Cases of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria.
51 cases of Scarlet Fever occurred after the return of cases
from the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, compared
with 45 in 1913, 39 in 1912, and 52 in 1911.
There was also one case of Diphtheria, compared with 14 in
1913, two in 1912, and two in 1911.
Four of the return cases of Scarlet Fever occurred in Clapham,
one in Putney, 16 in Streatham, nine in Tooting, and 21 in Wandsworth.