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Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
59
Scarlet Fever.
This disease was slightly more prevalent during the year,
compared with 1919.
In all 1,463 cases were notified, 286 in Clapham, 136 in Putney,
391 in Streatham, 240 in Tooting, and 410 in Wandsworth,
compared with 893 in 1919.
The rate per 1,000 of population was 4.16, 4.27 in
Clapham, 4.5 in Putney, 3.6 in Streatham, 5.7 in Tooting, and
3.9 in Wandsworth.
The disease was more prevalent in all parts of the Borough,
compared with the previous 10 years, but it was slightly more
prevalent in Tooting and Putney.
The disease was of a very mild type, only 11 deaths having
occurred, or a case mortality of only .75 per cent., which is exceptionally
low.
Thirty cases occurred in an institution in Clapham, and 28
cases among the nursing staff in an institution in Tooting.
Of the total number of cases, viz.—1,463, 1,255 or 85 per
cent., were removed to hospital.
From January to August the number of cases notified was
slightly above the average, but in September the numbers increased,
and in October, November and December there was a
widespread epidemic; 645, or 44 per cent. of the total cases during
the year, having been notified in these three months.
This epidemic was general over the whole of London.
As will be seen in Table XLI., some schools were more
affected than others, The Medical Officers of the London
County Council made inspections of 17 schools during the year,
and any suspected cases were at once excluded and the names
forwarded to me for inquiry.