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
East Ham 1926
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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The chief complications which occurred in the cases under treatment during the year were as follows
| Paralysis | 15 | Cervical Adenitis | 10 |
| Rhinitis | 5 | Myocarditis | 11 |
| Broncho-Pneumonia | 2 | Laryngitis | 22 |
In some instances patients were admitted who were suffering from some other disease in addition to diphtheria, and the following table gives particulars of these:—
| Scarlet Fever | 1 | Marasmus | 1 |
| Varicella | 1 | Psoriasis | 1 |
| Pertussis | 3 | Impetigo | 5 |
| Morbilli | 5 | Herpes | 3 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 1 | Scabies | 1 |
Anti-diphtheritic Serum.
5,328,000 units of antitoxin were administered to the patients
admitted during the year, the average dosage per head being
16,000 units.
Other Diseases.
A severe' case of morbilli, complicated by broncho-pneumonia,
was notified as Scarlet Fever, and died soon after admission to the
cubicle block.
A case of broncho-pneumonia was sent into the hospital
(notified as diphtheria), and died within 12 hours of admission.
Five cases of enteric fever were admitted to the hospital during
the year and all made a satisfactory recovery.
Two cases, notified as Scarlet Fever were found to be suffering
from rubella and tonsillitis respectively.
Laboratory Work.
Two hundred and sixty-one bacteriological examinations of
"swabs" for the identification of the diphtheria bacillus were
carried out at the hospital.
Illness of Staff.
Fourteen members of the nursing and domestic staff contracted
acute infectious diseases during the year : there were nine
cases of diphtheria, four of scarlet fever and one of measles. The