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
Hampstead 1912
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead, Metropolitan Borough of]
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The following table shows the number of cases occurring in the various Wards:—
| Months. | WARDS. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 (Town). | No. 2 (Belsize). | No. 3 (Adelaide). | No. 4 (Central). | No. 5 (West End). | No. 6 (Kilburn). | No. 7 (Priory). | Totals. | |
| January | 8 | 9 | 3 | — | 4 | 1 | 27 | |
| February | 4 | — | — | 2 | 7 | 5 | — | 18 |
| March | 2 | — | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | 14 | |
| April | — | — | 1 | — | 6 | 3 | — | 11 |
| May | — | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| June | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 17 |
| July | 1 | 3 | — | 2 | — | 5 | — | 11 |
| August | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 5 |
| September | — | 4 | — | — | — | 3 | — | |
| October | — | 8 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 13 |
| November | 4 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 10 |
| December | 1 | 3 | — | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| Totals | 22 | 35 | 6 | 15 | 37 | 34 | 6 | 155 |
Diphtheria was unusually prevalent during 1912, as it was in the
preceding year. In the year under review, however, the number of
cases notified was higher than any annual number since the year 1896.
The chief prevalence occurred in the Kilburn, Belsize, and West End
Wards. The disease showed an exceptionally high degree of infectivity,
secondary cases being common, there being no less than 17 of such,
while in seven houses no less than three cases occurred, this accounts in
some measure for the increase in the number of notified cases. In a
considerable number of the cases it was possible to trace the source of
infection to contact with a previous case.