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
Southall-Norwood 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall-Norwood]
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Diphtheria.
Sixty-nine cases notified as diphtheria were admitted to the hospital
Sixty of these were confirmed as diphtheria ; the rest were diagnosed as
suffering from other conditions. The clinical types were as follows:—
Anterior-nasal 6
Laryngeal 2
Faucial 36
Naso-laryngeal 8
Bacteriological 8
Five of the cases were of two or more types, one of the faucials being
also nasal, two of the faucials being also laryngeal and one of the faucials being
also nasal and laryngeal. One of the laryngeals was also nasal.
Two of the cases required tracheotomy.
One case was a double infection on admission, suffering from streptococcal
pharyngitis (which later turned to streptococcal septicaemia) as well as faucial
diphtheria.
The following table, No. 48, shows the incidence of the disease in age
groups:—
Table No. 48.
| Age | 0-5 | 5-15 | 15-25 | 25-35 | 35+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 18 | 23 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
The complications recorded were as follows:—
63
Table No . 49.
| Paralyses : Palate | 4 |
| Eye | 3 |
| Intestinal | 1 |
| Heart involvement | 6 |
| Cervical adenitis | 7 |
| Tonsillitis | 5 |
| Streptococcal septicaemia | 1 |
| Ulceration of septal vein | 1 |
| Anaphylaxis | I |
| The following operations were performed:— | |
| Tracheotomy | 2 |
| Incision of quinsy | 2 |
| Cervical abscess | 1 |
| Tonsillectomy | 1 |