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

Willesden 1936

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]

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73
THE FORTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT
on the
MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL
By ARTHUR G. TROUP, M.D., D.P.H.
Medical Superintendent.
During 1936, 1,754 patients were admitted to hospital as compared with 1,156 in 1935, 1,425 in
1934, 1,201 in 1933, 869 in 1932, and 842 in 1931.
During the year the new scheme for treating children suffering from enlarged tonsils and adenoids
came in force, and 383 cases were admitted to hospital for operation. This partially accounts for the
increase in number of patients dealt with.
Cerebrospinal Fever.
Four cases of this disease were treated in hospital during the year and one death occurred. The
fatal case occurred in a child one year of age, and proved on post-mortem examination to be the
posterior basal type of the disease. On the tenth day of illness a blockage occurred at the base of the
brain, and it was impossible to obtain cerebro-spinal fluid either by lumbar or cisternal puncture.
Diphtheria.
290 cases were admitted to hospital as compared with 364 cases during 1935. These may be
classified as follows:—Faucial 153, Naso-Pharyngeal 64, Nasal 46, Laryngeal 11, Aural 11, and
5 Carriers. The total cases under treatment was 337.
It was necessary to perform the operation of tracheotomy on five of the laryngeal cases, four of
which recovered and one died.
The mortality rate of 5.6 per cent. shows an increase of 1.5 per cent. over the rate for last year.
Of the 19 fatal cases, eight died within 24 hours of admission to hospital, and three within two days.
The immediate causes of death were toxaemia 12 cases, myocarditis six cases, and laryngeal obstruction
in one case.
Enteric Fever.
Five cases of Typhoid Fever and one of Paratyphoid Fever B were admitted during the year.
All were of a moderate type and no deaths occurred.
Erysipelas.
Forty-eight cases of this disease were treated during the year. One death occurred.
Measles.
Measles was epidemic during 1936, and 237 cases of this disease were treated in hospital. 16
deaths occurred, giving a case mortality rate of 6.7 per cent. The chief complications were Pneumonia
45 cases, Enteritis five cases, Convulsions and Cancrum Oris one case each.
Convalescent Measles Serum.

Table: As practically always occurs during an epidemic, patients suffering from diphtheria or scarlet fever and incubating measles were removed to hospital and admitted to the diphtheria or scarlet fever wards respectively. The following table records the number of such patients, the number of susceptible contacts and the results obtained by the administration of convalescent measles serum.

As practically always occurs during an epidemic, patients suffering from diphtheria or scarlet fever and incubating measles were removed to hospital and admitted to the diphtheria or scarlet fever wards respectively. The following table records the number of such patients, the number of susceptible contacts and the results obtained by the administration of convalescent measles serum.

Ward.Date of admission.Date developed measles.No. of susceptible contacts.Dose of serum.Result obtained.
D4-2-368-2-36315 c.c.All protected.
D5-2-368-2-36
DNurse in Ward22-2-36110 c.c.Protected.
F15-2-3625-2-36610 c.c.One patient developed an attenuated attack.
F23-3-365-4-36910 c.c.One patient developed an attenuated attack.
G28-1-367-2-361115 c.c.Two patients developed attenuated attacks.
Totals:-6 cases30Four attenuated attacks. 26 fully protected.