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
Friern Barnet 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Friern Barnet]
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9
Small-pox
No cases occurred. I was notified of a "contact," who was
engaged in the Meat Market. I visited his house, put the household
in quarantine as far as possible, and offered every facility
for vaccination, disinfection, etc., with the result that there was
no further trouble.
The arrangements concluded in 1898 for the reception of
cases of small pox at South Mimms Hospital are still in operation.
Several conferences have been held by Local Authorities,
with the view of providing accommodation by acquiring the
South Mimms Hospital. Friern Barnet decided not to unite
with the Joint Committee.
Below is a Table of Infectious Diseases, arranged to show the number of cases of each occurring in each month
| Month. | Total. | Measles | Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | Enteric. | Erysipelas. | Puerperal Fever. | Small Pox. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb. | 11 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar. | 15 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| April | 74 | 67 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| May | 25 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| June | 11 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sept | l9 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct. | 50 | 41 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dec | 9 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 244 | 150 | 35 | 30 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
Isolation Hospital.
The District not being provided with an Isolation Hospital,
beds are procured when possible from the surrounding authorities,
Enfield, Hornsey, Southgate and Hendon. I have again to
point out that with the increase of the population, not only of
Friern Barnet but of the surrounding districts, the want of
definite accommodation will be felt more and more. At times
there is delay and great difficulty in getting beds, A very much
larger proportion of cases of Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever have
been removed this year at the request of the relatives. This
shews an increasing desire on the part of the residents of the
District to have their infectious sick treated at an Isolation
Hospital.