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
Ealing 1924
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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17
The occurrence of diphtheria and scarlet fever in months
is indicated in Table V. It will be seen that diphtheria was fairly
well distributed throughout the year and that scarlet fever was
most prevalent in May and in the last four months.
TABLE V.
| Diphtheria. | Scarlet Fever. | |
|---|---|---|
| January | 6 | 4 |
| February | 3 | 3 |
| March | 6 | 4 |
| April | 4 | 8 |
| May | 5 | 23 |
| June | 5 | 9 |
| July | 8 | 8 |
| August | 1 | 5 |
| September | 3 | 10 |
| October | 7 | 18 |
| November | 8 | 12 |
| December | 5 | 19 |
| Total | 61 | 123 |
As regards diphtheria it cannot be too often repeated that
the early recognition and early treatment of the disease are most
important if a fatal issue is to be avoided. Parents should call
in medical aid at the earliest possible opportunity when there
are signs of sore throat and when there is enlargement of the glands
of the neck, as severe cases of diphtheria are often mistaken for
mumps. The Town Council offers facilities to medical men for
the early bacteriological diagnosis of the condition and at the
same time provides, in necessitous cases, a free supply of antitoxin
which should be administered at the earliest possible moment
when diphtheria is suspected, even before the diagnosis of the