London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Barking 1925

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]

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treated in hospital. Two deaths occurred—one in hospital and
one amongst cases treated at home. The average stay of
diphtheria cases in hospital was 38.3 days, the longest stay being
86 and the shortest 20 days, excluding one case removed from
hospital after only seven days' stay. The duration of the one
fatal case was 66 days. Three cases of laryngeal diphtheria
were admitted to hospital, but in only one instance was the
performance of tracheotomy necessary, the patient making a
somewhat prolonged but otherwise satisfactory recovery.
The type of diphtheria present on examination was as
follows :—
Faucial 53
Naso-Pharyngeal 5
Laryngeal 3
Of all cases notified as diphtheria and removed to hospital,
nine on examination were found to be mistaken diagnoses.
Three cases of diphtheria admitted to hospital developed
complications—two paralysis and one albuminuria.

Of diphtheria patients treated in hospital, the age incidence was as follows

1 to 2 years210 to 15 years10
2 to 3 years515 to 20 years5
3 to 4 years420 to 35 years10
4 to 5 years735 to 45 years2
5 to 10 years2445 to 65 years1

Sex.— 29 cases were male and 46 female.
(d) Enteric Fever.— No notification of enteric fever was
received throughout the year.
(e) Puerperal Fever.—Four cases were notified during the
year, all of which were admitted to hospital. One case, however,
so notified being found to be pulmonary tuberculosis only was
transferred elsewhere.
All of the other cases recovered.
(f) Malaria and Trench Fever.—No cases were notified during
the. year.
(g) Acute Primary Pneumonia and Acute Inpucnral
Pneumonia.—-58 cases were notified during 1925, compared with