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

St Pancras 1907

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]

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32
HI-INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
§ 1.—DISCOVERY AND DIAGNOSIS.
It is well to know that unrecognised cases largely spread infectious diseases.
Discovery.—Mild cases of indisposition or disease excite no particular
attention, or are attributed to other than the real cause by parents, guardians,
or friends, and are not submitted to medical examination. In the autumn
there are generally several instances of parents and guardians failing to
recognise as infectious cases of slight disturbances of health in children until
other children become infected and develop typical symptoms.
When cases of suspected infectious diseases occur there is sometimes
considerable difficulty and delay in making an exact medical diagnosis in
certain types of the diseases. Here bacteriological and additional clinical
examination are brought to bear upon doubtful types, and to check or confirm
the diagnosis.

Table: Bactcriological Tests.—The number of specimens of secretion, blood and sputum submitted to bacteriological tests during the year in suspected cases of Diphtheria, Typhoid or Enteric Fever, and Tuberculosis, and the results of examination were as follows:—

Bactcriological Tests.—The number of specimens of secretion, blood and sputum submitted to bacteriological tests during the year in suspected cases of Diphtheria, Typhoid or Enteric Fever, and Tuberculosis, and the results of examination were as follows:—

Bacillus found.Doubtful.Bacillus not found.Total.
Diphtheria (Secretion)27..4471
Reaction obtained.Doubtful.Reaction not obtained.Total.
Typhoid (Blood)10..1828
Bacillus found.Doubtful.Bacillus not found.Total.
Tuberculosis (Sputum)9..2433

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Infectious Diseases fall into four categories—
(a) Permanent compulsorily notifiable diseases,
(b) Permanent voluntarily notifiable diseases,
(c) Temporary compulsorily notifiable diseases, and
(d) Non-notitiable diseases.