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 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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table vi.
| Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | |
|---|---|---|
| January | 18 | 2 |
| February | 20 | 10 |
| March | 24 | 8 |
| April | 21 | 5 |
| May | 57 | 3 |
| June | 37 | 4 |
| July | 28 | 3 |
| August | 7 | 4 |
| September | 15 | 10 |
| October | 43 | 3 |
| November | 19 | 8 |
| December | 24 | 8 |
| Total | 313 | 68 |
Diphtheria.— Diphtheria shows an increase of 15 cases over
the previous year, but the number, 68, is less than in 1926. The
cases occurred during the months of the year as indicated in
Table VI. It will be noticed that the two months with the greatest
number of cases were February and September, in each of which
ten cases occurred. Otherwise the number of cases was fairly well
distributed throughout the year and never gave rise at any time
to anxiety. When one takes into account the size of the population
in the Borough the number of cases can be deemed to be very small.
During the year there were seven deaths from diphtheria,
giving a death rate of 0.07 per 1,000 population and a mortality
rate of 10.0 per cent, of cases notified. The death-rate is lower
than that for England and Wales and that for London. In each
this was 0.09 per 1,000 of population.
If parents would only view seriously cases of sore throat and
call in a doctor early, so that the specific anti-toxin could be administered
at the earliest stage of the disease, the mortality could be