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 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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15 others. The usual difficulty was experienced in controlling
cross-infection on account of the lack of suitable accommodation
for isolation.
Return-Cases.—Of the 548 cases discharged during the year
27 gave rise to return cases of scarlet fever, 24 being patients from
Ealing and three from Brentford and Chiswick. This gives a
return-case rate of 4.9 per cent.
The following are particulars of the cases who died:—
| No. | Age | Sex | Days in Hospital | Complications | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 9½ | F. | 55 | L. otitis media, meningitis | L. mastoid operation |
| 2. | 5 | F. | 36 | Broncho pneumonia and emphyema | Complications due to whooping cough |
| 3. | 25 | M. | 47 | R. & L. otitis media. Meningitis. | Double mastoid operation. Left hospital on 25th day against advice and returned 14 days later for mastoid operations |
Duration of Stay.—The average duration of stay in hospital
of all cases of scarlet fever was 44.4 days. The average duration
of stay of those patients having mastoid operations was 83 days.
The average duration of stay is high, consequent on the large
number of cases of cross-infection.
Diphtheria.—The number of cases admitted as diphtheria
from the two districts was 176 from Ealing and 56 from Brentford
and Chiswick, making a total of 232, 45 more than in the previous
year. In this number are included ten cases of bacteriological
diphtheria in whom there was insufficient symptoms to justify a
diagnosis of clinical diphtheria. Of the total number 22 were
ultimately diagnosed as not suffering from diphtheria. The final
diagnoses in these cases were as follows:—