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
Erith 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Erith]
This page requires JavaScript
19
B (1)c Scarlet Fever
The number of notified cases of scarlet fever during 1952 showed a marked increase. The total number of cases notified during the year was 160, which is the highest number of notifications for scarlet fever received during any year since 1939 when the figure was 231. A table covering the 14 years 1939-1952 is set out below: It is interesting to note how the proportion of patients admitted to hospital has decreased in recent years.
| Year | Number of cases | % of notified cases admitted to hospital | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notified | Admitted to Hospital | ||
| 1952 | 160 | 62 | 39% |
| 1951 | 45 | 22 | 49% |
| 1950 | 59 | 38 | 65% |
| 1949 | 116 | 73 | 62% |
| 1948 | 89 | 36 | 40% |
| 1947 | 80 | 40 | 50% |
| 1946 | 49 | 32 | 65% |
| 1945 | 29 | 20 | 69% |
| 1944 | 89 | 57 | 63% |
| 1943 | 101 | 76 | 76% |
| 1942 | 68 | 37 | 54% |
| 1941 | 15 | 9 | 60% |
| 1940 | 25 | 18 | 72% |
| 1939 | 231 | 184 | 80% |
Home circumstances have a direct bearing on the number
of patients admitted to hospital. The above table shows that
in 1939 80% of cases were admitted and in 1952 only 39% of
cases were admitted. It is unlikely that, generally speaking,
home circumstances in the area have shown much improvement
if any at all since 1939 due to the shortage of housing accommodation;
the real explanation is that this disease has, in recent
years, decreased in severity.