Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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occurrence of complications or of the dissemination of infection.
In selecting cases of Scarlet Fever for admission to Hospital
consideration has been given to (a) home accommodation, (b)
severity of the disease, and (c) social and financial circumstances.
Furthermore, the period of detention in Hospital for Scarlet Fever
patients has been curtailed, where possible, in accordance with
the suggestion of the Ministry of Health.
The following table indicates the number of patients admitted for each disease and the number discharged, or who have died, in the year 1928 :—
Disease. | Remaining at end of 1927. | Admitted during 1928. | Discharged during 1928. | Died during 1928. | Remaining at end of 1928. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scarlet Fever | 50 | 315 | 346 | 2 | 17 |
Diphtheria | 62 | 639 | 590 | 45 | 66 |
Diph. Scarlet | — | 11 | 11 | — | — |
Enteric | — | 6 | 6 | — | — |
Pneumonia | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Cerebro-Spinal Fever | — | 2 | 2 | — | — |
Measles | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Measles and Pneumonia | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
Laryngitis | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Total | 112 | 977 | 958 | 48 | 83 |
These cases were subsequently diagnosed as mild heat-stroke and
scarlet fever respectively.
1. TREATMENT OF THE ACUTE INFECTIOUS
DISEASES.
(a) Scarlet Fever.
Excluding the 17 patients remaining at the end of the year
1928 there were 348 completed cases of this disease treated. Of
these two died, giving a mortality rate of 0.57 per cent., as compared
with a rate of 0.38 per cent, for the previous year. In neither
case was death due entirely to Scarlet Fever; in one patient
Scarlet Fever followed upon a serious accident with injuries,
which included a fracture of the femur and complicated by
broncho-pneumonia; in the other case septicaemia and bronchopneumonia
supervened.