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
102
diphtheria and 41 cases were positive swabs without clinical symptoms,
leaving 219 cases of true diphtheria.
The negative cases were:—
4 cases of follicular tonsillitis.
5 cases sent in for observation in whom the diagnosis was
not confirmed. There were 9 cases admitted from outside
the Borough, a decrease of 38 on 1930: two
deaths occurred amongst them.
Of the 219 cases 6 had the larynx implicated, tracheotomy was
necessary in two cases, one died being moribund on admission.
The following complications and sequelae arose amongst
diphtheria patients.
Adenitis 8
Otorrhoea 8
Rhinorrhoea 5
Albuminuria 1
Secondary Sore Throat 9
Laryngeal Involvement
and Heart
Failure 12
Irregularity 1
Tachycardia 2
Influenza 1
Rheumatism 1
Paralysis:—
Facial 1
Palatal 6
Ocular 3
Of Legs 1
Ages and Sexes of Diphtheria Cases Admitted.
Table XLII.
| Age. | Males. . | Females. | Totals. | Deaths. | Death-rate 100 cases. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1—2 | . 10 | 9 | 19 | 1 | 5.2 |
| 2—3 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 8.3 |
| 3—4 | 8 | 18 | 26 | — | — |
| 4—5 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 1 | 3.1 |
| 5—10 | 43 | 59 | 102 | 3 | 2.9 |
| 10—15 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 1 | 3.4 |
| 15—20 | 8 | 11 | 19 | — | — |
| 20—30 | 7 | 13 | 20 | — | — |
| 30 & over | 3 | 7 | 10 | — | — |
| Total 1931 | 107 | 162 | 269 | 7 | 8.1 |
| Total 1930 | 235 | 227 | 462 | 12 | 2.5 |