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
Islington 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington]
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1934] 50
Non - Notifiable Diseases.—4,651 cases came to the knowledge of the
Medical Officer of Health during the year, viz., 2,258 cases of Measles, 792 cases
of Chicken-pox, 292 of Whooping Cough, and 1,309 of other diseases.
The information respecting these cases was received from the teachers of
schools within the borough.
Exclusion of Scholars from Schools.—3,440 children were excluded
from classrooms of various schools owing to the presence of an infectious disease,
chiefly Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever, in the houses wherein they lived.
The non-notifiable diseases among children attending the Public Elementary Schools were:—
| Disease. | Notifications by Teachers. | Average of preceding 10 years. | Increase or Decrease. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measles | 2,258 | 1,871 | + 387 |
| Chicken-pox | 792 | 1,059 | — 267 |
| Whooping Cough | 292 | 654 | — 362 |
| * Other Diseases | 1,309 | 1,874 | — 565 |
| Total | 4,651 | 5,458 | — 807 |
| *Note.—"Other Diseases" include Mumps, Scabies, Ophthalmia, Itch, etc. | |||
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
2,755 examinations were made for the medical profession of the sputum, of
swabs from the throat, and of the blood of patients suspected to be suffering from
Tuberculosis, Diphtheria and Enteric Fever, respectively.
The number is a decrease of 47 on that of the preceding year and 45 below the
decennial average. Of the total examinations, 366, or 13.3 per cent., gave
positive results.
Diphtheria.—2,114 specimens were examined for Diphtheria, of which 268,
or 12.7 per cent., were found to be " positive."
Enteric Fever.—22 specimens of blood were examined, 1 of which gave
positive result.
DIPHTHERIA— PATHOGENICITY TESTS.
1934.
| No. of Swabs Submitted for Examination. | Negative Result. (Bacilli) | Positive Result. (Bacilli) | Non-Virulent. | Virulent. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 19 | *8 | 3 | 3 |
| * 2 not tested for Pathogenicity. | ||||