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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
Willesden 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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70
THE FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT
on the
MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL
By ARTHUR G. TROUP, M.D., D.P.H,
Medical Superintendent.
During 1933, 1,201 patients were admitted to hospital as compared with 869 in 1932, 842 in
1931, 1,029 in 1930, 955 in 1929 and 1,037 in 1928.
Cerebro-Spinal Fever.
Four cases of this disease were admitted to hospital during the year, and two deaths occurred.
One of the fatal cases proved on post-mortem examination to be suffering from the Posterior Basic
type of Cerebro-Spinal Fever which is almost invariably fatal. The cases which recovered were in a
satisfactory mental and physical condition at the date of discharge from hospital.
Diphtheria.
291 cases were admitted to hospital as compared with 190 cases during 1932. These may be
classified as follows:—Faucial 201, Nasal 58, Faucial and Nasal 8, Aural 10, Laryngeal 5,
Bacteriological 9.
It was necessary to perform the operation of tracheotomy on one of the laryngeal cases. The
child made a good recovery.
The prevailing type of this disease was mild and only six deaths occurred, giving a corrected
mortality rate of 1.8%. This rate is one of the lowest recorded at the Municipal Hospital. The
corresponding mortality rate for England and Wales for the year 1932 was 5.4%.
Enteric Fever.
Three cases of Typhoid Fever and six of Paratyphoid Fever B were admitted during the year.
One patient had a prolonged illness with a pyrexia lasting 53 days and was in hospital for over 11
weeks. In all the others the type was of a mild or moderate nature, and no deaths occurred.
Erysipelas.
Thirty-eight cases of this disease were treated during the year. This number is above the
average. No deaths occurred.
Table No . 59.
| Diseases. | Remaining on 1st Jan., 1933. | Admitted. | Total under treatment. | Discharged recovered. | Died. | Mortality per cent. | Remaining on 31st Dec., 1933. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerebro-Spinal Fever | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 50 | 1 |
| Diphtheria | 36 | 282 | 318 | 280 | 6 | 1.8 | 32 |
| Diphtheria (Bacteriological) | - | 9 | 9 | 9 | - | - | - |
| Enteric Fever | - | 9 | 9 | 9 | — | - | - |
| Erysipelas | 6 | 32 | 38 | 35 | — | - | 3 |
| Measles | 42 | 42 | 32 | 1 | 2.3 | 9 | |
| Mixed Infections | — | 15 | 15 | 15 | — | - | — |
| Puerperal Infections | 1 | 16 | 17 | 15 | — | — | 2 |
| Scarlet Fever | 42 | 616 | 658 | 587 | 1 | .15 | 70 |
| Whooping Cough | — | 19 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 26.3 | 1 |
| Other Diseases | 3 | 157 | 160 | 152 | 7 | 4.3 | 1 |
| Totals | 88 | 1,201 | 1,289 | 1,148 | 22 | - | 119 |
Measles.
Forty-two cases of this disease were admitted to hospital during the year and one death occurred.
The majority of the cases were admitted during the winter months. The type of measles prevailing
this year was of a less toxic nature than that which occurred two years ago.
Cross infection with this disease occurred in three wards with sixteen secondary cases.