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

London County Council 1937

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

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14
Diphtheria
Notifications of diphtheria numbered 7,810 in 1937 (52 weeks), compared with
7,030 in 1936. This gives an attack.rate of 1.9 per thousand as against 1.7 in the
preceding year. There were 217 deaths, giving a death.rate of .05 per thousand
living. The case.mortality was 2.8 per cent., compared with 3.2 per cent, in 1936.

Table: The seasonal incidence, as shown by the notifications (uncorrected for errors of diagnosis) received in successive four.weekly periods during the year, was as follows:– Table 16 Weeks of the year

The seasonal incidence, as shown by the notifications (uncorrected for errors of diagnosis) received in successive four.weekly periods during the year, was as follows:– Table 16 Weeks of the year

1-5-9-13-17-21-25-29-33-37-41-46-49-52
556637520435503492494370507721866961748

Table: The notifications (uncorrected for errors in diagnosis), deaths and crude case. mortality during 1937 were as follows:– Table 17

The notifications (uncorrected for errors in diagnosis), deaths and crude case. mortality during 1937 were as follows:– Table 17

Year 1937Age.periodTotal
0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-15 +
Notifications (62 weeks)1683915256697288697676145233809581,2187,810
Deaths (365 days)1318242428252616152179217
Crude case . mortality percentage7.744.604.573.593.852.883.392.612.870.531.770.742.78

Table: The death.rates in London and England and Wales in recent years are shown in the following table:– Table 18

The death.rates in London and England and Wales in recent years are shown in the following table:– Table 18

Area19261927192819291930193119321933193419351936
London0.120.090.090.080.100.060.070.080.110.060.05
England and Wales0.080.070.080.090.090.070.060.070.100.090.08

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An analysis of the types of diphtheria diagnosed in the cases of this disease
admitted to the Council's fever hospitals during the two years 1936 and 1937 shows
that, although the percentage of the various types is much the same in the two years,
the percentage of deaths varies considerably from the one year to the other.
The figures, which omit "carrier" cases and contacts, are as follows :–

Table: Table 19–Diphtheria–Types of cases under treatment in the Council's fever hospitals durinq 1936 and 1937

Table 19–Diphtheria–Types of cases under treatment in the Council's fever hospitals durinq 1936 and 1937

Type of diphtheriaPercentage of total casesCase-mortality * per cent.
1936193719361937
Anterior nasal17.120.80.450.18
Laryngeal1.71.36.592.99
Faucial73.469.43.232.18
Nasopharyngeal7.58.017.0919.48
Non.respiratory0.30.50.000.00
Total100.0100.03.853.14

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* Deaths due to diphtheria per cent, of discharges and deaths.
Diarrhœa and
enteritis
Diarrhœa and enteritis caused 676 deaths among children under two years of
age, or 12.29 per thousand live.births. The corresponding rate in 1936 was 14.47.