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
Penge 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Penge]
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16
I am pleased to be able to state that the authorities
of the Croydon Borough Hospital at Waddon have
removed all our cases to hospital under an arrangement
with this Council, sending a nurse with the ambulance.
This is much more satisfactory than the old method, and
is greatly appreciated by the patients and their friends.
It will be seen in the following table that there were only 30 cases of Scarlet Fever, this number being a decrease of 44 cases on the previous year, but Diphtheria shows an increase of 8 cases; Enteric Fever a decrease of 9; Erysipelas an increase of 6; and Membranous Croup a decrease of 1.
| Disease. | Treated at Home. | Removed to Hospital. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-pox | — | — | Nil |
| Scarlet Fever | 6 | 24 | 30 |
| Diphtheria | 12 | 13 | 25 |
| Enteric Fever | 2 | — | 2 |
| Erysipelas | 11 | — | 11 |
| Membranous Croup | — | — | — |
| Chicken Pox* | 2 | — | 2 |
| Puerperal Fever | — | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 33 | 38 | 71 |
* Ceased on Jan. 4 to be an infectious disease to which the Notification
Act applies.
DISINFECTION.
We are still indebted to the Croydon authorities for
disinfection of bedding. The difficulties pointed out in
my former reports still exist, and will continue to do so
until the Council have a "disinfector" of their own.