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
City of London 1910
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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23
EXAMINATION FOR PATHOGENIC BACTERIA.
Should any medical practitioner in the City desire examination of specimens
for pathogenic bacteria in cases of suspected infectious disease occurring
amongst their patients residing in the City, they are examined free of charge,
and the result communicated as speedily as possible.
CITY OF LONDON.
| Disease. | Cases notified in Whole District. | Total Cases notified in each Locality. | No. of Cases removed to Hospital from, each Locality | Total Cases removed to Hospital. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At all Ages. | At Ages—Years. | St. Botolph. | St. Sepulchre. | St. Botolph. | St .Sepulchre. i | |||||||
| Under 1. | 1 to 6. | 6 to 15. | 15 to 25. | 25 to 65. | 65 and upwards. | |||||||
| Small-pox | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cholera | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Diphtheria | 16 | - | 5 | 7 | 1 | 8 | - | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 16 |
| Erysipelas | 16 | - | - | - | 1 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Scarlet Fever | 18 | - | 2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | - | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 18 |
| Typhus „ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Enteric „ | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Relapsing „ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Continued „ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Puerperal ,, | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Plague | — | — | - | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Anthrax | - | - | - | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 54 | — | 7 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 3 | 26 | 28 | 22 | 21 | 43 |
| *Chicken-pox | 24 | 1 | 5 | 18 | — | — | — | 10 | 14 | — | — | — |
| *Phthisis † | 4 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 82 | 1 | 12 | 32 | 9 | 24 | 4 | 37 | 45 | 22 | 22 | 44 |
SUGGESTED EXTENSION OF PROVISIONS OF "WORKMEN'S
COMPENSATION ACT'' TO HOSPITAL NURSES
AND ATTENDANTS.
The question has been raised during the year relative to the liability, under
the above Act, of Public bodies in cases where infectious disease has been
contracted in the course of duty by nurses and other employes, whose
occupation exposes them unduly to the risk of infection.
It appears that a number of nurses and attendants at the Isolation Hospital
of one of the District Councils have died of infectious disease contracted in the
course of their duties. The Insurance Companies repudiated liability under
the Workmen's Compensation Act, denying that this was an "accident"
within the meaning of the Act.
The Sanitary Committee is not directly interested in this matter as relating
to nurses, as they have no hospitals or nursing institutions under their control,
but members of their staff as a result of the nature of their duties, are liable
to contract infectious disease.
As to whether or no the view taken by the Insurance Company is justified
I am not qualified to express an opinion, but I can see no reason why persons
contracting illness from the nature of their employment should not receive
similar protection under the Act as that afforded employes liable to contract
anthrax, lead poisoning, &c., as the result of their occupation, and I am of
opinion that the Schedule of Diseases (third schedule) of the Workmen's
Compensation Act should be enlarged so as to include hospital nurses, hospital
attendants, sanitary inspectors, disinfectors, and others who by virtue of their
office are peculiarly liable to contraction of infectious disease.