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 1927

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]

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Table: HARTS SANATORIUM.—Year ending 31st March, 1928.

HARTS SANATORIUM.—Year ending 31st March, 1928.

xpenditure.Cost per Patient per week.
£S.d.
Salaries and Wages2,433176
Provisions2,426175
Disinfectants, Drugs and Appliances9508
Coal, Coke and Firewood30122
Lighting and Water34726
Furniture, Bedding and Linen7707
Uniforms and Dresses3603
Chandlery and Sundries27720
General Repairs51739
Garden Implements, Seeds, etc.2602
Horse Hire1401
Printing, Stationery and Advertisements2602
Rent of Telephones2903
Rates, Taxes and Insurance391210
X-Ray Examinations2102
Provision of Five New Shelters17012
£7,1186518

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REPORT ON THE WORK AT THE BOROUGH
INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.
During the year 1927 the incidence of Diphtheria and Scarlet
Fever has assumed somewhat serious epidemic proportions and,
in consequence, the amount of work undertaken at the Hospital
has increased very markedly. The patients admitted totalled 984,
as compared with 645 in the year 1926. The methods heretofore
adopted for the control of these diseases, whilst having led to
a tremendous reduction in the mortality rate (as the result of
treatment carried out in infectious diseases hospitals), appear to
have brought about very little, if any, result in lessening the incidence.
The time seems opportune for reviewing these methods
together with the more up-to-date means at our disposal for preventing
infection. The time-honoured system of endeavouring to
destroy the various infective agents outside the human body by
disinfection has proved a costly and almost impossible one, whereas
the more feasible and economical method of increasing the vitality,