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 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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43
Upon admission to hospital he had a skin lesion on the neck that was
recognized as a typical malignant pustule and was given Sclavo's serum.
Serum was also given on the 25th and 27th, and the patient made a good
recovery.
The disease was contracted as a result of carrying infected hair which
it is understood was imported from the United States.
Infectious Diseases not notifiable in Shoreditch.
Measles.
The deaths from Measles numbered 60 and occurred in the following age
groups:—
Under 1 year 13
One to 2 years 29
Two to 5 years 16
Five to 10 years 2
60
Measles was responsible for 24.9 per cent of all deaths of children under
5 years of age.
As will be seen from the following table, measles is a disease which tends to become widespread every few years, for the reason that after a bad measles year a large number of children are protected by the fact that they have had the disease.
| Deaths | Death rate per 1,000 population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Shoreditch | London | Shoreditch | London |
| 1922 | 84 | 1,559 | 081 | 0.35 |
| 1923 | 23 | 367 | 021 | 0.08 |
| 1924 | 58 | 1,335 | 0.55 | 0.29 |
| 1925 | 34 | 357 | 0.32 | 0.13 |
| 1926 | 25 | 914 | 0.23 | 0.20 |
| 1927 | 7 | 179 | 0.09 | 0.04 |
| 1928 | 59 | 1,355 | 0.59 | 0.30 |
| 1929 | 17 | 194 | 0.17 | 0.04 |
| 1930 | 49 | 1,035 | 0.50 | 0.23 |
| 1931 | 26 | 115 | 0.26 | 0.03 |
| 1932 | 60 | 824 | 0.63 | 0.19 |
The distribution of the deaths in the different wards was as shown on
the table on pages 22 and 23.