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 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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13
As compared with the figures for 1907 there was a marked decrease in
the number of cases of scarlet fever, and a very marked increase in the number
of enteric fever cases. The deaths from notifiable infectious disease show an
increase of one on the figure for 1907. The deaths from the principal zymotic
diseases which are notifiable,, namely, smallpox, scarlet fever, diphtheria and
enteric fever were at the rate of 0.45 per 1,000 population, whilst the rate
from the principal zymotic diseases which are not notifiable, namely, measles,
whooping cough and diarrhoea was 1.4 per 1,000 population". This latter
rate it may be mentioned is very much below the average for previous years.
METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD.
Most of the cases of infectious disease removed to hospital were taken
to the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, but a number of the cases
of enteric fever were treated in general hospitals, and some in the Shoreditch
Infirmary. The infectious diseases, cases of which are receivable into the Board's
hospitals, are smallpox, scarlet fever, diphtheria,, enteric fever and cerebrospinal
fever. The number of cases of these diseases certified was 899, and the
number removed to hospital was 875, giving a percentage of 97.3, which is
practically the same as for 1907. The percentage of removals for 1906 was
96. The percentages for previous years are contained in the report for 1905.
It is satisfactory to have to record such high percentages of removals. Efficient
isolation of cases of infectious disease in the homes of the people in a densely
crowded locality like Shoreditch being practically impossible.
RETURN CASES.
During the year 10 instances where "return " cases of scarlet fever occurred came under observation. The particulars are briefly as follows: —
| Number of Cases. | Length of time in Hospital. | Interval between the return of the primary (infecting) case and the occurrence (invasion of) the secondary or return case | Lesions observed in the primary case on return from hospital. | Number of cases resulting from Primar)' case. | Remarks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 83 days | 11 days | Discharge from nose. Right eye inflamed. | 1 | Primary case, a female. |
| 2 | 52 „ | 8 „ | Scab on one nostril | 1 | Primary case, a female. Developed ''cold and sore throat" 3 days after return. |
| 3 | 92 „ | 4 ,, | Discharge from nose | 3 | Primary case, a female. |
| 4 | 47 „ | 14 „ | Discharge from nose; scaling from feet | 1 | Primary case, a male. Discharge came on after return. |
| 5 | 47 „ | 7 „ | 1 | Primary case, a male. | |
| 6 | 56 „ | 8 „ | Discharge from nose | 2 | „ male. |
| 7 | 49 „ | 13 „ | Discharge from nose. Sore nostrils. | 1 | Primary case, a male. Discharge came on 4 days after arrival home. |
| 8 | 61 „ | 3 „ | 1 | Primary case, a male. | |
| 9 | 67 „ | 19 „ | 1 | Primary case, a female. | |
| 10 | 76 „ | 3 „ | 1 | Primary case, a male. Stated to have had nephritis. |