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 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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entailed in connection with telephone calls, compiling lists of contacts to be sent to
neighbouring departments and allocating lists received, had by the end of the year
become so great as to place a very great strain upon the office staff.
Scarlet Fever.
The cases certified numbered 354 of which 40 or 11.3 were subsequently not
regarded as Scarlet Fever. The actual number of cases was accordingly 314 which
gives an attack rate of 3.2 per 1,000 inhabitants.
The number of cases, deaths amongst males and females and the attack, death and case mortality rates in the Borough and Wards are given in the subjoined table:—
| Wards. | No. of cases. | Fatal cases. | Rates per 1,000 population. | Case mortality. Deaths per 100 cases. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male. | Female. | Total. | Male. | Female. | Total. | ||||
| Moorfields | 5 | 4 | 9 | ... | ... | ... | 2.3 | ... | ... |
| Church | 20 | 23 | 43 | 2.5 | |||||
| Hoxton | 26 | 51 | 3.4 | ||||||
| Wenlock | 20 | 12 | 32 | ||||||
| Whitmore | 16 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0.06 | 2.4 | |||
| Kingsland | 25 | 40 | ... | 4.0 | ... | ||||
| Haggerston | 21 | 34 | 55 | ||||||
| Acton | 19 | 23 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3.7 | 0.17 | 4.8 |
| Total | 142 | 172 | 314 | 1 | 3.2 | 0.03 | 0.95 | ||
| London | ... | 77 | 3.6 | 0.02 | 0.48 | ||||
The number of cases in Shoreditch was considerably less than in 1928, in which
year there were 457 cases with an attack rate of 4-6.
The measures taken to control the disease are as follows:—
Isolation of patient. With the exception of 2 cases all those certified
were removed to Hospital.
Disinfection of home and of articles likely to spread infection.
Advice to those exposed as to early symptoms and importance of seeking
medical aid.
Enquiry is made as to the source of infection. A mild missed case may be
found, the removal of which to Hospital may prevent several more inmates of the
house from contracting the disease.
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