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

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Shoreditch 1928

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]

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21
resistance of a child to this disease, and secondly if the resistance is poor and the
child accordingly a likely victim, to raise the resistance by a further injection so as
to make the child immune.
Great care is necessary in regard to the preparation and use of the materials,
but when all safeguards are taken excellent results are claimed for the procedure.
Diphtheria immunization is extensively practised in America and clinics have been
set up by various Public Health Authorities in this Country.
At the time of writing fourteen Metropolitan Boroughs have established these
clinics, viz.:—City of Westminster, Battersea, Bermondsey, Camberwell, Deptford,
Hackney, Holborn, Stoke Newington, Wandsworth, St. Marylebone, Lambeth,
Finsbury, Poplar and Southwark.
As diphtheria is both most common and most severe in the early years of child
life, it is held that the authority responsible for the provision of facilities for immunization
should be the same as that responsible for Maternity and Child Welfare.
For this reason this matter has in London been undertaken by the Borough Councils.
The progress of diphtheria immunization in this Country will be kept under
observation and further reports will in due course be made upon the matter.
ENTERIC FEVERS.
Ten cases of this disease were notified in the Borough during the year. Of
these four proved upon further investigation to be cases of paratyphoid fever.
In four instances the diagnosis was not confirmed. Investigations were made in
all cases.
It was not possible to trace the source of infection, but the cases of paratyphoid,
two of which occurred in August, and two in October, were part of a
widespread outbreak which was attributed to cream and upon which a report
was made by the County Medical Officer of Health.
There were no fatal cases in this Borough.
ERYSIPELAS.
The cases certified numbered 49 and there were 2 deaths. The deaths occurred
at the ages of two weeks and six months respectively. The age, seasonal and ward
distribution of the cases are included in the table on page 16.

A comparison between London and Shoreditch is contained in the following table:—

Per 1,000 inhabitants.Deaths per 100 cases.
Attack rate.Death rate.
London0.480.025.08
Shoreditch0.490.024.08

These cases are not as a routine measure admitted to Hospital. 27 however
were moved, mostly to St. Leonard's Hospital, during the course of the year.