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Appendix II.
Infectious Diseases.
With reference to the need for additional accommodation
previously considered, the Medical Officer of Health having submitted
the following- report to the Hospital Committee, they have
approved same for submission to the Ministry of Health :—
HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION.
Owing to the flagrant over-crowding which is prevalent in a
great many houses in this Borough, it is highly desirable in the
interests of Public Health when a case of Infectious Disease
occurs in any such houses, that the case should be forthwith
removed to hospital so that it may be properly nursed, and also
in order to guard against the possible fatal spread of the disease.
During the six months, January to June, 1928, no fewer
than 210 deaths occurred in West Ham from Infectious Diseases
amongst children under 5 years of age, viz. :—
Pneumonia Measles Whooping Cough Diphtheria Scarlet Fever
111 62 18 18 1
Pneumonia.
It will be seen that of the total deaths investigated, no fewer
than 52.9 per cent, died from Pneumonia, and what is still more
striking, of the deaths under one year of age in the series, actually
78 per cent, died of Pneumonia. Only 37 of the total 111
cases of Pneumonia were removed to Hospital; the remaining 74
died in their homes. Further, of the cases removed to Hospital,
27 died within a week of their removal. Of the 74 cases which
died at home, 31 deaths occurred in houses where the family were
occupying only one room for sleeping, living, and every other
purpose. Of the total deaths, 92 occurred in families occupying
three rooms or less; in 12 instances the family consisted of 9
persons or over. Medical aid was sought during the first or
second day of illness in over 83 per cent, of the deaths, thus
indicating that delay in seeking treatment was not presumably
the cause of the fatal result. (The number of deaths due to
Pneumonia were those certified under "Pneumonia"; where
Pneumonia was given as a contributory cause of death following
Measles, Whooping Cough, etc., the death has been included
under the heading of Measles, Whooping Cough, etc.)
The number of deaths from Pneumonia occurring amongst
persons over 5 years of age during the period under review was
108 (only 9 deaths occurred between the ages of 5 and 15 years).
The shortage of hospital accommodation, however, for adults is
not as acute as it is in the case of young children ; moreover,
many of the deaths in adults certified as being due to pneumonia
are actually brought about by some other disease, pneumonia
being only the final phase. (Although some types of pneumonia
are notifiable, the number of cases notified to the Medical Officer
of Health do not, in any way, indicate the actual prevalence of
the disease.)
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