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
Woolwich 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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48. There were 16 deaths, giving a death rate of 0.13 per
1000 population, which is higher than a.ny rate since 1898.
(See Table V.).
The following table shows the Scarlet Fever case mortality (deaths per 100 cases) compared with London in the past four years:—
| 1901. | 1902. | 1903. | 1904. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Borough | 1.6 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.4 |
| London County | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 |
49. Hospital Isolation.—Of the 472 cases, 397, or 84 per
cent, were removed to the Asylums Board's Hospitals, compared
with 85 and 86 per cent, in the two preceding years.
Three cases only were reported after observation at the
Hospital not to be Scarlet Fever, compared with 11 in 1903.
The average duration of stay in the Hospital was ten weeks
and one day, compared with eight weeks and four days in 1903.
50. Return Cases.—There were 18 cases in which infection
was traced to a patient recently returned from the Fever
Hospital, compared with 19 and 10 in the two preceding
years. The interval between return of the primary cases and
commencement of illness in the secondary cases varied from 2
to 20 days, being between 3 and 7 days in 9 cases. The
infecting cases numbered 15, and 6 of these had some abnormal
condition of the nasal mucous membrane on arriving home.
Another infecting case was well on return, but had "cold"
two weeks after, 5 days before the secondary case began. Two
cases showed no abnormal symptoms, and 6 were not observed.
51. In order to enable precautions to be taken as far as
possible against the occurrence of return cases, since the middle