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 1912
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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Number of Contacts and Suspected Cases of Diphtheria Examined by the Medical Officer of Health, from August 1st, 1912, to December 31st, 1912:
| Positive. | Negative. | Hoffmans | Total Number examined by M.O.H. | Total Number of Cases Notified. | Total Number of Deaths. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month, 1912. | Symptoms. | No Symptoms. | Symptoms. | No Symptoms. | Symptoms. | No Symptoms. | |||
| August | 2 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 16 | 2 |
| September | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 29 | 43 | 3 |
| October | 1 | 1 | 10 | 38 | - | - | 50 | 40 | 2 |
| November | 2 | 13 | 3 | 22 | 3 | 7 | 50 | 55 | 4 |
| December | 6 | 24 | 4 | 15 | - | - | 49 | 89 | 1 |
| 12 | 47 | 24 | 102 | 7 | 14 | 206 | 243 | 12 | |
51. Mistaken Diagnosis. 48 cases, or 11 per cent. o£ notifications,
were, after removal to hospital, stated to be not
diphtheria. The percentage of the three preceding years
was 10, 10, and 15, respectively.
52. Source of Infection. In 151 cases a probable source
of infection was noted, viz.:—In 71, other inmates of the
house were known or suspected to be the source; in 47,
schools; 13, neighbours and friends; 9, return cases; 3,
general hospitals; and in 9 the infection was due to the Fever
Hospital. 5 of the return cases were due to one returned
case: this was a boy who had sore nares-rhinorrhœa on
discharge; a bacteriological examination showed the presence