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
West Ham 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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Disinfection.
The following return sets out the diseases for which disinfection took place in the Northern and Southern parts of the Borough respectively:—
| Disease | North | South | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 790 | 1192 | 1982 |
| Diphtheria | 423 | 623 | 1046 |
| Phthisis | 289 | 264 | 553 |
| Enteric Fever | 24 | ||
| Puerperal Fever | — | 1 | 1 |
| Encephalitis Lethargica | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Cerebro-Spinal Fever | — | 1 | 1 |
| Acute Poliomyelitis | — | 1 | 1 |
| Erysipelas | 3 | 13 | |
| Pneumonia and Measles | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Cancer | 20 | 5 | 25 |
| Small Pox | — | ||
| Pemphigus | — | 7 | 7 |
| Schools (Classrooms) | 22 | 46 | |
| General Infection | 45 | 71 | |
| Dinisfestation | 52 | 22 | 74 |
| Total | 3,883 |
In some instances more than one room was disinfected in
respect of one notified case.
PLAISTOW HOSPITAL.
Both scarlet fever and diphtheria were very prevalent in the
Borough during 1927, and the total number of cases treated in
the Hospital was the largest on record. The majority of the scarlet
fever cases were very mild, but the type of diphtheria was more
than usually severe, and its fatality rate was more than double
that of the previous year. The number of typhoid fever cases
remained small.
The chief causes of death during the year are briefly summarised
as follows:—
77