London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Woolwich 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
This page requires JavaScript
88
Diphtheria.
Notification.—During the year 233 cases were notified compared with 281 in
1931, and 497 in 1930. The number of military cases was 11. The number of notifications
received each quarter was as follows: First quarter, 42; Second quarter, 44;
Third quarter, 79; Fourth quarter, 68.
Multiple Cases.—The following Table, No. 63, shows the house distribution by
wards. The term "house" is synonymous with the term "family," except in three
instances where two families were involved.
TABLE No. 63. Diphtheria: Multiple Cases.
| Dockyard. | St. Mary's. | River. | St. George's. | Burrage. | Herbert. | Glyndon. | St. Margaret's. | Central. | St. Nicholas. | Abbey Wood. | Well Hall. | Sherard | Avery Hill | Total Houses. | Total Cases. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Houses in which | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 case occurred | 8 | 7 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 32 | 9 | 20 | 6 | 167 | 167 |
| 2 cases occurred | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 30 |
| 3 ,, | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 21 |
| 4 ,, | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 |
| Total Houses | 9 | 8 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 13 | 33 | 13 | 24 | 8 | 190 | 222 |
| Military | - | 1 | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 |
| 233 |
Return Cases.—Four cases gave rise to four return cases. In one instance the
primary case was re-notified and re-admitted to hospital.
One patient who was admitted to hospital with Diphtheria was exposed to
Scarlet fever in hospital owing to cross-infection occurring in the ward she was in.
She was given a prophylactic dose of anti-scarlatinal serum and showed no signs of
Scarlet fever whilst in hospital, but four days after her discharge from hospital her
sister was notified to be suffering from Scarlet fever. On examination of the primary
case, the child was found to be suffering from a nasal discharge, but there was no
evidence that she had had Scarlet fever; the swab taken from her nose was negative
to Diphtheria. It is possible that this child, through exposure to Scarlatinal infection,
became a carrier, but the injection of anti-scarlatinal serum prevented her developing
the disease. It is difficult to prove a person to be a Scarlet fever carrier, but the
case is certainly suggestive.