London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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West Ham 1927

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]

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a very considerable number of deaths certified as due to pneumonia
were due primarily to whooping cough. It will be noted that
out of only 13 cases of this complaint admitted to the Fever
Hospital, no fewer than 5 deaths occurred, and that out of 1,250
cases of Scarlet Fever admitted, only three deaths occurred. I do
not think that the Hospital Isolation of Scarlet Fever limits the
spread of the infection to any marked degree, and, except in the
more severe cases, this disease could be treated at home with no
greater incidence of complications—always provided that the home
is not over-crowded and is in a fairly sanitary condition. As regards
Measles last year when this disease was prevalent, it caused no
fewer than 78 deaths, Scarlet Fever causing 7 deaths. These
facts seem to indicate that many of the beds now allocated to cases
of Scarlet Fever should be placed at the disposal of the severe
cases of Whooping Cough and of Measles, or better still, that
extra Hospital accommodation should be provided for these
diseases without encroaching upon the number of beds available
for Scarlet Fever.

Table indicating deaths during past 6 years from:—

(Whooping Cough)

YearScarlet FeverPertussisMeasles
19229175118
1923742312
1924484114
192568132
192072078
1927IT73*6
40456360

* 35 of these cases were infants under 1 year.
Diphtheria.
The attack rate of this disease is still very high, and has this
year been the cause of many deaths and much sickness. The
Council have now granted facilities for any child to be inoculated
against diphtheria (see also page 80), and notices to this effect
are displayed in the Clinks.
Typhoid Fever.
Towards the end of the year a modified outbreak of Typhoid
Fever occurred in a family occupying two old caravans in a
yard in the Southern part of the Borough. On investigation it
was found that while touring in these caravans during the
Summer, one of the family, a boy aged 10 years, contracted typhoid
fever and was sent to a hospital in a neighbouring County, and
a further lad, aged 7, was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital,
Plaistow, within three weeks. No further case developed until
two months later, when 7 days after the return home of the first
case from Hospital, four other members of the family developed
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