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
Coulsdon and Purley 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Coulsdon]
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15
The symptoms of most cases were very alike—severe headache,
often occipital in position, abdominal pains, nausea or vomiting,
chilliness with subsequent fever of 100°F lasting from one to three
weeks, early diarrhoea, often with constipation later, and profound
lassitude and debility. In some cases epitaxis within the first
few days of the illness was a frequent feature.
I am glad to say that none of the cases associated with this
epidemic proved fatal.
I am greatly indebted to Dr. Newsholme, Medical Officer of
Health, Croydon, for the foregoing facts and the minute
investigations which were carried out by him, the bakery in
question being within the Count}' Borough of Croydon.
The following shows the number of cases tabulated for each
week of the year :—
The following shows the number of cases tabulated for each week of the year :—
| Week ending | 9th March | 18th April | 4th May | 8th August | 15th August | 29th August | 5th September | 12th September | 26th September | 3rd October | 10th October | 17th October | 24th October | 31st October | 12th December | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of cases notified | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| The age periods were: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Age periods | Under 5 | 5 and under 10 | 10 and under 15 | 15 and under 20 | 20 and under 35 | 35 and under 25 | 45 and under 65 | ||||||||||||||
| Cases | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGICA.
One case was notified as occurring in a female aged 52 years
residing in Sanderstead. The patient was removed to the May
Day Road Hospital, and unfortunately the case terminated fatally.
ERYSIPELAS.
Ten cases were notified as against 12 last year. One of the
cases occurred in Cane Hill Mental Hospital.
PNEUMONIA.
Eleven cases were notified, of which 2 occurred in Cane Hill
Mental Hospital.