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
Leyton 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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75
Terminal Disinfection.
Prior to January, 1930, this Council, in common with most
Sanitary Authorities throughout the country, carried out the
routine and traditional programme of municipal disinfection
after the removal to hospital or recovery at home of persons suffering
from infectious disease.
Since January, 1930, this Authority has discontinued the
routine steam disinfection of bedding and clothing from households
infected by the commoner infectious diseases such as scarlet
fever, diphtheria, etc. Six full years have now elapsed since
routine steam disinfection was discontinued, and the following
table shows in summary form the results of the last six years
compared with those of the six years immediately preceding,
In the table the results of six years (1924-29), during which steam
disinfection had been carried out, can be compared with those of
six years (1930-35) during which it had been adandoned.
By way of explanation, it should be pointed out that, in the final comparison, secondary cases occurring within a week of the primary case have been excluded, the reason being that such cases occurring within the known incubation stage of the two diseases may have been infected by the primary case before removal to hospital.
| Period. | Steam Disinfection. | Disease. | Cases Notified. | Cases Re-moved. | Secondary Cases After 7th Day. | Percentage of Secondary Cases. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924/5/6/7/8/9 | Practised. | S.F. | 2,193 | 1,399 | 86 | 6.14 |
| Diph. | 1,696 | 1,413 | 64 | 4.52 | ||
| Total | 3,889 | 2,812 | 150 | 5.33 | ||
| 1930/1/2/3/4/5 | Abandoned. | S.F. | 2,951 | 1,969 | 130 | 6.6 |
| Diph. | 1.326 | 1,140 | 41 | 3.59 | ||
| Total | 4,277 | 3,109 | 171 | 5.5 |