London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Croydon 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
This page requires JavaScript
100
The slight shortening of period of isolation in hospital which
was noted in the previous report was not observed in the present
series.
(c) Reduction of Complications.
The following table contrasts the complications in the two types.
| Nature of Complaint. | Serum Treated (224 cases). | Non-Serum Treated (307 oases). |
|---|---|---|
| Adenitis | 9 | 19 |
| Otorrhoea | 16 | 22 |
| Rhinorrhoea | 13 | 22 |
| Albuminuria | 4 | 5 |
| Nephritis | — | 4 |
| Rheumatism | 5 | 6 |
| Relapses | 3 | 4 |
| Secondary Throat | 2 | 2 |
| Abscesses and Boils | 5 | 7 |
| Endocarditis | 2 | — |
| Septicaemia | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 60 (26.7%) | 92 (30%) |
It would appear, therefore, that the giving of Scarlet Fever
serum had little effect in diminishing the incidence of complications,
though no cases of nephritis occurred in the serum1 treated cases,
and this was also noted in the previous report.
The relapses occurred on the 24th, 26th and 29th day of disease
respectively.
(d) Desquamation.
Desquamation occurred in 114 out of the 224 cases treated with
serum. In many cases treated with serum the peeling was very
fine generally. The cases which had a relapse peeled a second time.