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
Marylebone 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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40
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
A table showing, with regard to the infections, the total number of notifications
received, the age distribution and the number of cases notified from each of the
four registration districts will be found on page 80.
The following table shows the number of cases of infectious disease notified during the past six years :—
| 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallpox | — | 2 | — | 30 | 3 | 6 |
| Diphtheria | 132 | 193 | 160 | 177 | 180 | 271 |
| Erysipelas | 36 | 41 | 36 | 67 | 40 | 61 |
| Scarlet Fever | 168 | 121 | 178 | 223 | 237 | 226 |
| Enteric Fever | 14 | 9 | 5 | 13 | 5 | 9 |
| Paratyphoid Fever | 3 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Continued Fevei | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Puerperal Fever | 6 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | — | 9 | 35 | 32 | 19 | 25 |
| Cerebro-spinal Meningitis | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | 4 |
| Tuberculosis (Pulmonary) | 187 | 151 | 155 | 139 | 147 | 141 |
| Tuberculosis (Non-Pulmonary) | 36 | 30 | 35 | 22 | 26 | 20 |
| Acute Poliomyelitis | 2 | 1 | 3 | — | 2 | 2 |
| Polio-Encephalitis | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum | 8 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
| Encephalitis Lethargica | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Pneumonia | 69 | 86 | 45 | 44 | 92 | 42 |
| Malaria | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Dysentery | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Trench Fever | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 669 | 674 | 686 | 775 | 773 | 840 |
The total number of notifications coming to hand was 840. The bulk of the
notifications related to diphtheria and scarlet fever, which contributed 271 and 226
respectively to the total. Other diseases in respect of which considerable numbers
of notifications were received were tuberculosis (161), erysipelas (61), and pneumonia
(42).
In 1029 the number of cases notified was 773.
The notification rate (proportion to population of notified cases of infectious
diseases) in 1930 was 8.2 per 1,000, as against 7.5 in 1929.
The figures for 1925 were, total notifications, 669; notification rate 6.3 per
1,000.
In no case was compulsion necessary in order to ensure removal to hospital :—
| Diphtheria | 268 or 99.0 per cent. of the cases notified. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erysipelas | 39 | „ | 550 | „ | „ | „ |
| Scarlet Fever | 221 | „ | 98.0 | „ | „ | |
| Enteric and Paratyphoid Fever | 12 | „ | 80.0 | „ | „ | „ |
| Puerperal Fever | 7 | „ | 87.0 | „ | „ | „ |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 20 | „ | 80.0 | „ | „ | „ |
| Tuberculosis | 63 | „ | 390 | „ | „ | „ |
| Pneumonia | 14 | „ | 33.0 | „ | „ | „ |
| Encephalitis Lethargica | 2 | „ | 100.0 | „ | „ | „ |
| Smallpox | 6 | „ | 100.0 | „ | ‚ | „ |