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 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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43
ACUTE ANTERIOR POLIOENCEPHALITIS AND POLIOMYELITIS.
Two cases were notified in 1920, one as polioencephalitis, and one as poliomyelitis.
The latter case was fatal. The particulars were as follows:—
W. C. H., male, aged 8. Ward 1 (D). Onset, January 17. Pain in back, vomiting; afterwards
persistent temperature, pains in head, head retraction, increasing paralysis (from January
20) of legs, afterwards involving the arms, tenderness of limbs, Kernig's sign, knee jerks
abolished. Died January 23, probably from respiratory paralysis. No P.M. C.s. fluid
under pressure, clear, colourless, sterile, deposit almost nil. Albumen very faint trace,
Fehling's reduction trace. The death was certified as due to poliomyelitis.
W. C., male, aged 2. Ward 7 (U). Onset October 11. Notified October 21. Malaise, drowsiness,
vomiting, fever, constipation first three days, pain at back of head and neck, knee jerks
absent, Kernig's sign, Babinski's sign doubtful, paralyis of right lower limb and right
external rectus. Admitted to Middlesex Hospital, October 16. On January 21, 1921, eye
muscles and left leg normal; right leg—still paralysis of thigh and leg muscles, but marked
progress still continuing.
EPIDEMIC CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS.
6 patients were notified in 1920 as suffering from cerebrospinal meningitis, of which
one was afterwards found to have been wrongly diagnosed. The actual number of cases
reported was therefore 5. 3 of the 5 cases were fatal (1 of the 3 deaths occurred in 1921).
Particulars in regard to the cases are set out in the following table:—
| Date of Notification. | Date of Onset. | Date of Death. | Age. | Sex. | Ward and District. | Bacteriological Examination, etc. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O. | |||||||
* Diagnosis of cerebrospinal meningitis nevertheless maintained on clinical grounds.
1. On 22nd January, 1921, patient still suffered from weakness, debility, and giddiness. No paralysis.
deafness, or mental impairment.
2. Complete recovery.
No connection between the cases and no source of infection was found. The cases
were treated in the Highgate Hospital, Paddington Green Children's Hospital, the Great
Ormond Street Children's Hospital, and the North-Western (M.A.B.) Hospital (two cases).
From 1913 the number of cases of cerebrospinal meningitis notified or otherwise
reported (corrected for errors of diagnosis, etc.), and the number of these cases which died,
were as follows:—