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The Nurse attached to the Clinic pays following-up visits to the homes of patients attending.
During last year 44 such visits were made. The Nurse also visits homes in which a death from
cancer has taken place, and where disinfection has been requested. 12 houses were visited in this way.
In 2 cases there appeared to have been no delay, and the disease gave little warning. In 2 cases
there was delay between the date when the patient saw a doctor and the time when further investigation
was sought. In 2 cases the delay seemed to occur at the hospital end, in one case because
the investigation carried out failed to reveal the disease, and in the other because the patient was
put on a waiting list for over 4 months before operation was performed. In 6 cases the delay was
only on the part of the patient who ignored the warning signs, and in one case refused operation.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the year 1933, 2,445 cases of Infectious Disease were notified as compared with 2,164
in the previous year. The total of 2,445 includes 392 notifications of Diphtheria as compared with
247 in 1932. 694 cases of Scarlet Fever as compared with 421 in 1932, 335 cases of Pneumonia as
compared with 351 in 1932, 524 cases of Whooping Cough as compared with 673 in 1932, and 100
cases of Erysipelas as compared with 66 in 1932. The number of cases of Scarlet Fever is the highest
since the epidemic of 1920-21, in which two years 697 and 1,527 cases were recorded respectively.
Return Cases of Scarlet Fever.—The following statement gives the return cases that
have occurred during 1933:—
I. Home Cases.—Approximately 58.
(a) No. of infecting cases giving rise to return cases not longer than
28 days after release from isolation 0
„ return cases they gave rise to 0
„infecting cases per cent. of total home cases 0
„ return cases per cent. of total home cases 0
(b) No. of infecting cases giving rise to return cases more than 28
days after release from isolation 0
„ return cases they gave rise to 0
„ infecting cases per cent. of total home cases 0
„ return cases per cent. of total home cases 0
II. Hospital Cases.—Approximately 636.
(a) No. of infecting cases giving rise to return cases not longer than
28 days after discharge 32
„ return cases they gave rise to 39
„ infecting cases per cent. of total hospital cases 5.0
„return cases per cent. of total hospital cases 6.1
(b) No. of infecting cases giving rise to return cases more than 28
days after discharge 5
„ return cases they gave rise to 5
„ of infecting cases per cent .of total hospital cases 0.8
„return cases per cent. of total hospital cases 0.8
Small Pox.—Two cases of Small Pox were notified in 1933 and were admitted to the Small
Pox Hospital of the London County Council. One of these cases was discharged after observation
as not Small Pox. The diagnosis in the other case was confirmed. The source of infection in this
case appeared to have been in Essex. The patient recovered.
No vaccinations were performed by the Medical Officer of Health under the Public Health
(Small Pox Prevention) Regulations, 1917.
Typhoid Fever.—Thirteen cases were notified during 1933 as against 10 in 1932 and 15
in 1931. Seven of these thirteen cases were notified during the 4 weeks ended 12th August, 1933,
4 of these 7 being diagnosed in hospital as paratyphoid B, 2 as typhoid fever and 1 as enteritis.
12 of the 13 notified cases were removed to hospital—10 to the Municipal Hospital and 2 to
other hospitals. Two cases were diagnosed in hospital as typhoid fever, 6 as paratyphoid B, 1 as
enteritis, 1 as colitis, 1 as gastritis and 1 as influenza. The 2 typhoid fever cases occurred in the
same house, the patients being nephew and uncle. The first of these cases, a boy of l¾ years, proved
fatal. There appeared no connection between the other cases, who all recovered.