London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Shoreditch 1915

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]

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toicro-organism was not found, 4 died from tuberculous meningitis, 1 from
pneumo-coccal meningitis, 1 from whooping cough, and 2 recovered. The
majority of the cases certified were in children under the age of 15 years. With
regard to the sanitary condition of the houses in which the cases occurred, in
26 instances this was satisfactory or fairly so, in 6 it was unsatisfactory; in 5
instances the presence of bugs was noted in the dwellings and in 1 instance fleas
were very numerous; in 15 cases cats or dogs were kept. No cases were certified
in Moorfields Ward, otherwise there was nothing apparent calling for remark as to
the distribution of the cases beyond the fact that they were more numerous where
the population is densest, that is, in the central parts of the Borough; in Shap
Street three houses were invaded, in Watsons Place, Bookham Street and Falkirk
Street, two each, in the rest of the streets where the cases occurred only one house
in each was invaded. In no instances did more than 1 case occur in the same house;
no secondary cases could be traced, although in the families in which the cases
occurred the contacts numbered 125 whilst there were 179 other persons resident
under the same roofs, a total of 304 men, women and children. In 13 instances
relatives of the patients were soldiers, but in no case could any history be obtained
as to cerebro-spinal fever in connection with them. With reference to the health
of the inmates of the invaded houses, in one case a child had had pneumonia and
another a sore throat, in a second there had been influenza in the family, in a
third there had been measles in the house but not in the patient's family, in two
others there had been "colds" in the house, in another a child had had a discharge
from the ears, and in another instance a girl had had headache and giddiness for
which she had been treated at a hospital. In connection with the other 25 cases
the health of the inmates of the houses seems to have been good.
Eleven deaths were registered as due to meningitis (non-tuberculous) ; so far
as could be ascertained there were no reasons for believing any of these to have
been due to cerebro-spinal fever.
ACUTE POLIOMYELITIS.
One case was certified—the patient, a little boy aged 6 years, returned from
hospital after an attack of scarlet fever on May 26th, he went to school on June 7th
for a few days ; subsequently on June 14th it was discovered in the morning that
he had lost the use of his legs. The case was admitted to Gt. Ormond Street
Hospital. Nothing was ascertained throwing light upon the source of infection.
GLANDERS, ANTHRAX AND HYDROPHOBIA.
No cases occurred and there is nothing to report.
CHOLERA.
No intimations were received under the cholera regulations as regards the
arrival in the Borough of persons from localities abroad where cholera existed.