View report page

53
It will be seen from the table that the number of deaths from this disease
is at present very much less than it was five or six years ago, and that this is
clue to a decrease in its severity is shown by the case-mortality rate.
On pages 23-26 will be found set out for scarlet fever: —
(a) The age and sex distribution of the cases.
(b) The number of cases notified and deaths certified in each week of the
year.
(c) The distribution of the cases and deaths in Registration Sub-Districts.
(d) The number of cases notified during the year in the several Metropolitan
Boroughs and in the County of London.
There was an increase in the number of cases notified during the autumn
all over London, and St. Pancras shared in this increase, but to a less extent
than many other parts of London.
Only four Metropolitan Cities and Boroughs (viz., Stoke Newington,
Westminster, Hampstead and the City of London) had a smaller notification
rate of scarlet fever for 1913 than St. Pancras.
All notified cases of scarlet fever have been handed to the district inspectors
each morning, and have been visited by them without delay. Enquiries have
been made in every case touching possible sources of infection, but in the vast
majority of cases it has been found impossible to trace the infection. Where
the notifying doctor has not had the case removed to hospital this has been
arranged with the Metropolitan Asylums Board. In all cases the bedding and
other infected clothing, etc., have been removed for steam disinfection and the
room disinfected.
Of the notified cases of scarlet fever 535 (or 94 per cent.) have been
removed to hospital, as follows:—
To Metropolitan Asylums Board hospitals 521
To other hospitals 14
535
Return Cases of Scarlet Fever.— During the last six months of 1913, during
which time 362 cases of scarlet fever were notified, 22 return cases occurred,
a return case being one occurring in a house within four weeks of the
return from Hospital of a former case of scarlet fever to the same house.
In 5 instances more than one case followed upon the return of the former
Base, there being 14 houses in which one or more return cases ensued upon
the home-coming of former cases.
There have been no important outbreaks of scarlet fever in St. Pancras
institutions during the year, and no infection through milk-supply has been
traced.