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
Erith 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Erith]
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There has been a considerable increase in the number of Scarlet Fever
cases notified, and this increase has been spread over the whole year, and
not confined to any particular portion of it, or to any particular quarter
of the district.
Comparative Returns of Infectious Diseases notified during cue past seven years, viz.
| 1898. | 1899. | 1900. | 1901. | 1902. | 1903. | 1904. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-pox | 92 | 228 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Diphtheria | 125 | 76 | 71 | 29 | 62 | 38 | 52 |
| Membranous Croup | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Erysipelas | 9 | 21 | 18 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 33 |
| Scarlet Fever | 48 | 65 | 67 | 41 | 57 | 53 | 98 |
| Enteric Fever | 23 | 15 | 28 | 48 | 34 | 13 | 13 |
| Puerperal Fever | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Chicken-pox | 187 | 8 | |||||
| 208 | 177 | 188 | 235 | 595 | 140 | 199 |
Sanatorium.
This Hospital is for the admission of Cases of Scarlet Fever, Enteric
Fever, and Diphtheria. There are 25 beds. During the year 122 cases were
treated, of which 74 were Scarlet Fever, 39 Diphtheria, and 9 Enteric Fever.
Two of the cases of Enteric Fever died during the year, but all the Scarlet
Fever and Diphtheria cases recovered.
Two tables are attached, one showing the number of patients treated during the year, and the second giving the comparative returns oi admissions for the past four years.
| Scarlet fever. | Enteric Fever. | Diphtheria. | Total. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Hospital, January 1st, 1904 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Admitted during year | 74 | 9 | 39 | 122 | ||
| Discharged during year | 64 | 7 | 33 | 104 | ||
| Died during year | 2 | 2 | ||||
| In Hospital, December 31st, 1904 | 12 | 8 | 20 | |||
| 1901. | 1902. | 1903. | 1904. | |||
| Scarlet Fever | 28 | 38 | 33 | 74 | ||
| Enteric Fever | 23 | 23 | 6 | 9 | ||
| Diphtheria | 14 | 35 | 20 | 39 | ||
| Tots | L1 65 | 96 | 59 | 122 | ||
Disinfection.
There has been no change in the methods of disinfection during the past
year. All houses are fumigated, and bedding and wearing apparel disinfected
in the Hot Air Apparatus attached to the Sanatorium.
Drainage.
The system of Drainage is by Sewers. The houses which drain intc
the old Sewers are gradually being connected with the new Sewers.