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 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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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 | 487 | 959 | 1446 |
| Diphtheria | 350 | 524 | 874 |
| Tuberculosis | 215 | 288 | 503 |
| Enteric Fever | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Encephalitis Lethargica | — | 1 | 1 |
| Erysipelas | 3 | — | 3 |
| Pneumonia and Measles | 15 | 7 | 22 |
| Cancer | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| Small Pox | 46 | 1429 | 1475 |
| Schools | 27 | 648 | 675 |
| General Disinfections | 21 | 30 | 51 |
| Disinfestations | 29 | 25 | 54 |
| Total | 5129 |
In some instances more than one room was disinfected in
respect of one notified case.
The Value of Disinfection.
Having regard to the vastly changed conditions which now
prevail in comparison to those which were common half a century
ago, it would appear that the time has arrived when the regulations
and precautions concerning some of the more common infectious
diseases should be ruthlessly revised. Not only have the
conditions and environment under which the patient exists
changed, but the actual virulence and type of certain infectious
diseases have also become profoundly modified.
Research into the actual value of the disinfection of premises
and its relation to the prevention of the spread of disease is needed
in view of modern scientific knowledge in regard to Bacteria and
their habitat.
77