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37
INFLUENZA.
This disease was less prevalent than in 1933, though correct information as to
the number of cases was, of course, unobtainable. The deaths certified as due to
Influenza numbered 12, as against 41 in the previous year.
PNEUMONIA.
Figures with regard to notification and information as to methods of prevention,
etc., adopted in relation to this disease will be found on pages 32 and 68.
The services of the nurses were requisitioned in 23 cases and 439 visits were
paid. The number of deaths certified as due to all forms of this disease was 70.
FOOD POISONING.
Thirty-one notifications of food-poisoning or suspected food-poisoning were
received under Section 7 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1932,
as against 17 in 1932 and 13 in 1933. Eighteen of the 1934 cases, however, were
reported by medical officers attached to the Zoological Society's Gardens in
Regent's Park, where an outbreak of acute intestinal disturbance amongst the
restaurant employees occurred on 12th and 13th July, 1934.
On the night of the 11th, 300 people had taken dinner in the restaurant and
none was known to have been unwell subsequently, but two of the waitresses who
had been working late were taken ill at home in the early hours of the next morning.
On the 12th some 200 of the staff ate, amongst other things, remains of the
previous night's food. Of these, ten were taken ill between 5 and 5.30 p.m., with
sickness and diarrhoea so violent that removal to hospital was considered advisable.
Several other employees who had taken the same foods were very ill during the
evening and following morning, but were treated at home. Extensive enquiries
were made and it was revealed that although the patients had consumed a large
variety of food, tea and butter were the only common factors. Samples of the
remains of the meal were examined chemically and bacteriologically, as were also
faeces, vomit and urine from the patients, but no substance or organism which
could definitely have been responsible for the outbreak was found. All the patients
recovered during the course of a few days. Although evidence to support the view
was not forthcoming the conclusion reached was that the causative agent was a
chemical irritant accidentally—or otherwise—introduced into some article (tea?)
prepared for and consumed by certain members of the staff.
In 7 of the remaining 13 cases notified during the year some form of fish was
thought to have been the cause, whilst in the others rabbit, oxtail, sausages, chip
potatoes, steak and kidney pudding, ham and ice cream each came under suspicion.
In no case was it necessary to remove the patient to hospital and all quickly
recovered.
TUBERCULOSIS.
In all 157 notifications were received, 132 relating to pulmonary tuberculosis,
the remainder (25) to cases in which structures other than the lungs were affected.
The table given on page 38 contains the information required by the Ministry
of Health with regard to notifications.
From time to time reference is made to the difficulty associated with the
obtaining of notifications sufficiently early, and the following figures are introduced
because they are interesting in this connection. They relate, as will be seen, to
cases in which death had taken place before the fact that the individual was
suffering from the disease had been brought to the notice of the Medical Officer of
Health, as required by the regulations : —
1. Total number of deaths from tuberculosis in the borough 68
2. The number of cases unnotified or notified at death 12
3. The number of cases notified within a month of death 2
4. The number of cases notified within three months of death 11
5. The number of cases notified within six months of death 4
Treatment of Tuberculosis.—-Of the cases notified 259 received some form of
institutional treatment, and during the year every effort was made to obtain admission
to sanatoria of cases deemed suitable for such treatment. Of the total new
cases notified 93 were insured persons and were admitted and readmitted from time
to time during the year to sanatoria and hospitals for treatment, the total admissions
numbering 115. Non-insured persons numbered 64, the total admissions for
these patients being 58, including 8 children. Nurses were sent in to 17 cases
and 396 home visits were paid.