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
Barking 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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47
Diphtheria.
INCLUDING MEMBRANOUS CROUP.
I append the following table for comparison with former years:—
| Year | No. of Cases. | Deaths. | No. treated in Hospital. | Percentage treated in Hospital. | Death Rate per cent. | Death Rate per 1,000 of population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | 49 | 11 | 39 | 79 | 22 | .26 |
| 1907 | 51 | 6 | 42 | 82.3 | 11.17 | .2 |
| 1906 | 69 | 9 | 56 | 81 | 13 | .31 |
| 1905 | 116 | 14 | 91 | 78.4 | 12.0 | .5 |
| 1904 | 145 | 9 | 113 | 77 | 6.2 | .33 |
| 1903 | 194 | 19 | 149 | 76.8 | 9.7 | 0.76 |
| 1902 | 75 | 6 | 20 | 28.0 | 8.0 | 0.25 |
| 1901 | 80 | 3 | 41 | 51.2 | 3.7 | 0.13 |
| 1900 | 75 | 5 | 33 | 44.4 | 6.5 | 0.23 |
The number of cases again shews a decrease.
The deaths are heavy, 8 having occurred during the year,
which is equal to an annual death rate of the estimated population
of 3, which is 1 per 1,000 more than for 1907. The death rate
per cent of those attacked was 22
Seventy-nine per cent. of the cases were treated at the
Hospital where the death rate was 20 per cent. This high death
rate was due to two causes:
1. Small number of cases.
2. Several cases brought to Hospital in extremis, and
others died in:—
(1) 15 minutes in Hospital
(2) 2½ hours „
(3) 36 hours „
(4) 48 hours „