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
Shoreditch 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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The number of cases and the deaths amongst males and females in the Borough and its four registration sub-districts are given in the subjoined Table:—
| DIPHTHERIA (Including Membranous Croup.) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-District. | Casks Certified. | Fatal Cases. | ||||
| Male. | Female. | Total. | Male. | Female. | Total. | |
| Shoreditch South | 12 | 10 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Hoxton New Town | 16 | 11 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Hoxton Old Town | 18 | 10 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Haggerston | 38 | 39 | 77 | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| Total for the whole Borough | 84 | 70 | 154 | 10 | 11 | 21 |
The cases are grouped according to ages in Table III. (appendix).
The cases certified were at the rate of 1.3 per 1,000 inhabitants, as compared with
2 per 1,000 in 1902, 2.6 in 1901, and 3 in 1900. The cases of diphtheria certified in
the Metropolis numbered 7,571, being at the rate of 1.6 per 1,000 inhabitants, and the
deaths numbered 740, the death-rate being 0.16 per 1,000 inhabitants. Nearly 88 percent.
of the cases certified in Shoreditch were removed to hospital for treatment, as
compared with 84 percent. in 1902, 83 in 1901, 86 in 1900, 80 in 1899, 77 in 1898,
67 in 1897, and 55 in 1896.
In connection with the enquiries made as to the circumstances attending 116 of the oases of diphtheria certified during the year, the distribution of the cases amongst males and females at certain age periods was found to be as follows:—
| Age Period. | Male. | Female. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| From 1 to 2 years | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| ,, 2 ,, 3 ,, | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| ,, 3 ,, 4 ,, | 5 | 8 | 13 |
| ,, 4 „ 5 „ | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| ,, 5 ,,10 ,, | 14 | 14 | 28 |
| ,, 10 ,, 13 „ | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Over 13 years | 9 | 9 | 18 |
| Total | 62 | 54 | 116 |
Of the 116 cases, in 49 instances the children suffering had been attending school,
and in 39 instances they were at school within a week of the onset of symptoms. In
a few of the cases the children must have been at school and mixing with other
children whilst they were actually suffering from the disease before it was recognised
to be diphtheria. In 49 of the other cases, although the patients themselves were not
attending school, there were children, members of the same family or dwelling under