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 Wimbledon]
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treated with alkalis with a view to preventing the onset of this
complication. Speaking generally, the nephritis was mild in
character. Only in two cases was the blood pressure raised, and
uremic manifestations were slight and infrequent. All the
patients affected made complete recoveries. They showed no
evidence on discharge of any impairment of renal function.
Three " return " cases occurred during the year. This
amounts to 2 per cent. of the patients discharged. Convalescent
patients are treated in separate wards from the acute cases.
For several days prior to discharge patients are kept in special
side wards away from all sources of infection.
Diphtheria.—210 patients were admitted to the Isolation
Hospital as cases of diphtheria during the year. The admissions
were therefore 37 less than during 1929. Of these 210 cases,
139 ultimately proved to be suffering from undoubted clinical
diphtheria.
45 of the patients were contacts who had been swabbed and
found to be harbouring diphtheria bacilli either in the nose or
throat.
In 26 of the cases admitted as diphtheria, the diagnosis was
not confirmed by further bacteriological investigation.
The following complications were noted among the 210 patients under treatment:—
Nasal Paralysis | 19 |
Pharyngeal Paralysis | 3 |
Intercostal Paralysis | 1 |
Otitis Media | 2 |
Mastoiditis | 1 |
Adenitis | 2 |
Nephritis | 1 |
Albuminuria | 1 |
Broncho-Pneumonia | 1 |
Bronchitis | 1 |
Multiple Arthritis | 1 |
Included in this number were 20 patients who were admitted
with respiratory obstruction due to laryngeal diphtheria.
Tracheotomy was performed in four cases. Three of these
patients made complete recoveries. The fourth patient died on
the sixth day from heart failure.
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