London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Romford 1913

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Romford RDC]

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13
Diarrhoea.—This disease was but slightly prevalent, undoubtedly
due to the absence of any period of sustained heat during the summer
months. Nine deaths resulted from this disease, seven of which
occurred in children under two years of age.

The subjoined table shows the degree in which infectious disease occurred in the various parishes of the district:—

Dagenham, Beacontree and Chadwell Heath.Havering.Hornchurch.Upminster, Cranham and Corbets Tey.Great Warley.Rainham and Wennington
Scarlet Fever18...226...7
Diphtheria712.........
Enteric Fever1...............
Puerperal Fever..................
Erysipelas14...9122
Measles'214...1201662100

In accordance with your instructions, I visit all cases notified by
their Medical Attendant as requiring removal to the Isolation Hospital
before such removal, with the exception of cases (very few) of urgency,
when speedy removal is essential to the welfare of the patient, a
practice which prevents the admission of unconfirmed cases into the
Hospital, and one which is not in the least resented by the Medical
Attendant. When I see doubt in confirming the diagnosis, I communicate
with the Medical Attendant, and, either after a personal consultation
or otherwise, a satisfactory arrangement is made. In doubtful
cases of Diphtheria, swabs are, as a rule, taken from the throat of
the suspected cases by their Medical Attendants (who are supplied by
the Hospital with sterile swabs), and are sent to me for bacteriological
examination in the Hospital Laboratory for cultivation and examination
without charge. Antitoxin is supplied, free of charge, to Doctors
applying for it, for the use of poor persons. In all cases of Scarlet