London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kensington 1890

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]

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having in the interval provided accommodation for 463 patients,
having thus done good service and contributed, beyond doubt, to
bring about the decline of scarlet-fever cases in the Metropolis.
SCARLET FEVER AND THE MILK OF DISEASED
COWS.
In a previous Annual Report I stated that scarlet fever had
acquired a new interest for sanitarians, as the result of an outbreak
in certain districts in London and at Hendon, inquiry into
which had led Mr. W. H. Power, Second Assistant Medical
Officer to the Local Government Board, to believe that the disease
might be of bovine origin. Dr. Klein subsequently confirmed the
views expressed by Mr. Power, which, moreover, commended
themselves to Dr. George Buchanan, Medical Officer to the Local
Government Board. It need hardly be said that the subject
would be one of equal interest and importance should the views
of Mr. Power and Dr. Klein be ultimately sustained. But their
views have been contested by more than one subsequent investigator,
and must still, I think, be considered as sub judice.
STATISTICAL RETURNS.
The Asylums Board addressed a circular letter to the
Vestries and District Boards, in October, 1887, making application
for information to enable them to ascertain" the extent, as compared
with previous years, to which scarlet fever had been
prevalent during the year" in the several districts; their object
being to form "as correct an estimate as possible of the accommodation
to be provided in future" for cases of this disease.
At the request of your Vestry, I drew up the desired information,
in the form of the subjoined Tables, which are selfexplanatory,
and have been brought up to date. It need hardly
be added that the Board now obtain necessary information by
notification, the Tables, nevertheless, still possess interest.