London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1906

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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The following table shows the age and sex distribution of the notified cases of erysipelas in 1906—

Age-period.All Ages.0-5-10-15-20-25-35-45-55-65-75 and upwards.
Males2,18821278998910732841740726114842
Females2,83120910415017618037948047733824692
Persons5,019421182249265287707897884599394134

The table shows, so far as the figures relating to notified cases of this disease can be trusted in this
connection, that the number of females attacked exceeds the number of males attacked.
The question whether the notification of cases of erysipelas should be discontinued was considered
by the London sanitary authorities at the instance of the Stepney Borough Council, but by a considerable
majority the suggestion was not approved. The metropolitan branch of the Society of Medical
Officers of Health also considered the subject, and was of a like opinion that the requirement of notification
should be continued. In his annual report Dr. Allan gives an interesting summary of the cases
notified in the City of Westminster during the last five years, viz., 630 in all. Of twenty-nine houses in
which cases had been notified thirty-one cases subsequently occurred; twelve were second attacks and
two third attacks of the same person. In seventeen instances the attacks were in different persons.
" Puerperal fever occurred in two houses in which there had been erysipelas. In one case the child had
erysipelas on the 16th February, and the mother died of puerperal fever on the 19th February; in the
second, a case of erysipelas occurred on the 27th January, and a woman died of puerperal fever on the
2nd March of the same year. The reverse occurred in one instance, puerperal fever in January, erysipelas
in the following May." From classification of the cases in connection with occupation it did not appear
that there was any particular incidence on any occupation except that of the group headed labourers,
costermongers, etc.
Puerperal Fever.
The deaths in the Administrative County of London during the year 1906 (52 weeks) attributed to
puerperal fever1 numbered 187, compared with 183 in 1905.
The number of cases notified and the number of deaths registered from this cause since the year
1890 have been as follows—

Puerperal Fever.—Cases notified and deaths.

Year.Notified cases.Deaths.
1891221222
1892337313
1893397352
1894253210
1895236208
1896277225
1897264215
1898247184
1899326209
1900237169
1901253184
1902311201
1903233170
1904273198
1905292183
1906298187

If these cases and deaths are considered in relation to the total population and total births the
following rates are obtained—

Puerperal fever.—Case-rates and death-rates.

Year.Case-rate per 1,000 living.Case-rate per 1,000 births.Death-rate2 per 1,000 living.Death-rate2 per 1,000 births.
18910.051.640.051.65
18920.082.550.072.37
18930.092.980.082.65
18940.061.920.051.60
18950.051.760.051.56
18960.062.040.051.66
18970.061.980.051.01
18980.051.860.041.39
18990.072.450.051.57
19000.051.810.041.29
19010.061.930.041.40
19020.072.340.041.51
19030.051.780.041.30
19040.062.110.041.53
19050.062.310.041.45
19060.062.390.041.50

Including deaths from puerperal septicaemia and puerperal pyæmia.
* See footnote (1) page 8.