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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
Twickenham 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Twickenham]
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Infectious Disease, 1934. Ages at notification.
| Disease | Total Notifications | Under 1 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 4-5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 25-35 | 35 45 | 15-05 | 65, etc. | Admitted to Hospital | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria | 121 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 56 | 28 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | 110 | 3 |
| Scarlet Fever | 106 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 32 | 35 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 81 | 2 |
| Puerperal Fever | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| ] Puerperal Pyrexia | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pneumonia:— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Primary | 14 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — |
| Influenzal | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 9 | 3 | — | — | — |
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Erysipelas | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 2 | — | — |
| Acute Polio-myelitis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Malaria | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | _ | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Scarlet Fever.
Of the 106 cases notified, 36 occurred in one residential institution, so that only 70 cases
of this disease occurred among the general population of the town. The type of disease was not
severe.
After the occurrence of 3 cases of scarlet fever in a residential school for boys (Fortescue
House School), it was decided to apply what is known as the Dick test to ascertain what number
were liable to contract scarlet fever. The ages of the boys at this school ranged from 10—14
Following is a summary of the results:—
Boys Staff Total
Number tested 12S 6 134
Number of positives 31 2 33
Those found to be positive received 4 inoculations at intervals of one week, with Burroughs
Wellcome and Co. Scarlet fever Prophylactic, in the following doses:—
lst injection. 2nd injection. 3rd injection 4th injection.
0.2 cc., A. 0.4 cc., A. 0.25 c.c., C. 0.5 cc., C.
In no case-was there any undue reaction and no further case of scarlet fever occurred.
Diphtheria.
The number of cases of diphtheria was considerably in excess of those for the past 3 years.
Of the 121 notifications, 33 cases occurred in one institution. The fatality rate of the cases
generally was 2.4 percent. of those attacked.
After the occurrence of several cases of the disease in a large residential school (Police
Orphanage) it was decided to apply the Schick Test to the remainder to ascertain what number
were liable to contract diphtheria.
The ages of the boys and girls tested varied from 7 to 15 years.
Following is a summary of the results:—
Number tested 198
Number found positive 106
Those found to be positive were inoculated with three injections of Toxoid-Anti-toxin
mixture. This was carried out before the school broke up for the summer holidays.
During the last two months of the year three cases of diphtheria occurred in the same
school and it is of great interest and importance to note that of these three cases, two were members
of the domestic staff who were not immunized, and one was a child who contracted diphtheria
shortly after admission to the school and before immunization could be carried out.
Other Diseases.
An unusual number (23) of cases of Erysipelas were notified during the year. Although
it might be expected that a high figure of notifications of this disease might coincide with a
excessive prevalence of Scarlet Fever, such a coincidence cannot be traced by reference to the
records of the occurrence of these diseases in Twickenham in the past.
Measles, which was almost absent from the district during 1933, became prevalent during
the first and second quarters of 1934. This disease is not notifiable, but particulars of 123 cases
among children of school age were obtained and many cases occurring among children under
school age were discovered by the nursing staff when visiting the school children. It is not
possible to estimate closely the total number of cases which occurred, but 6 deaths were registered
as being due to this disease, a number equal to that of deaths from Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever
added together.