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
Ilford 1912
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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46
noses of contacts is an easy and effective way of controlling
these and has been found of extreme service in numerous
instances. It does not follow, of course, because the specific
organism is found in the throat, that therefore that particular
contact is infectious, but if there has been association
with an active case it seems the only useful way to consider
it so and take suitable precautions, especially in the case of
children. The Council still continue to supply Anti-toxin
free, for the use of medical practitioners, and a syringe is
also available if necessary. The question of bacteriologically
testing the condition of the nose and throat of patients
recovering from the disease, before declaring them free to
mix with others, seems to me to merit more consideration
from the medical practitioner.
ENTERIC FEVER.
| Year. | Cases. | Deaths. | Rate per 1,000. | Per cent. of Cases Notified. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | 4 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 1911 | 10 | 4 | .05 | 40 |
| 1910 | 16 | 1 | .01 | 6.28 |
| 1909 | 7 | 1 | .01 | 14.28 |
| 1908 | 12 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 1907 | 10 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 1906 | 35 | 1 | .01 | 2.85 |
| 1905 | 22 | 4 | .06 | 18.18 |
| 1904 | 32 | 4 | .07 | 12.5 |
| 1903 | 28 | 2 | .04 | 7.14 |
| 1902 | 61 | 7 | .15 | 11.47 |
As will be seen graphically represented opposite, the
notification of four cases for the year is the lowest for the
last twenty years. One of these four was a very doubtful
case, the sister of the patient had previously been suffering
from diarrhoea, and the other three all occurred in one
family. The first case had suffered from Malaria Fever
whilst in Africa.