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105
The Officers of the Public Health Department were thus enabled
throughout the epidemic to secure the removal of cases to hospital
or the provision of nursing assistance in the home where this was
needed several days earlier than would have been the case if the
usual routine had been followed, under which the School Attendance
Officer visits the home of an absentee and reports to the Head
Teacher who, in turn, informs the Public Health Department by
post that a child is absent from school on account of the presence
in the home of a case of measles.
Owing to the pressure upon the accommodation in the hospitals
of the late Metropolitan Asylums Board consequent upon the
presence of smallpox in the metropolis, it became necessary for the
Board to re-introduce in January, 1930, the scheme formulated in
1926 under which applications for the admission of cases of measles
and scarlet fever are referred to the local Medical Officer of Health
for investigation of the facilities for isolation and treatment in
the homes of the patients.
This selection of cases for removal to hospital continued until
April, 1930, and I am pleased to report that the delay in securing
admission of cases of measles and scarlet fever was in no case of
longer duration than a day or two. On the other hand the prompt
removal of cases from overcrowded homes and of cases in urgent
need of hospital treatment was ensured.
One hundred and fifty-four cases of measles were removed to
hospital in 1930. Thirty-five deaths from measles occurred during
the year. The annual mortality per 1,000 inhabitants was, therefore,
0.16, as compared with 0.23 for London. The results
obtained from the proper treatment of measles is not merely that
death is escaped, but that invalidism, which may culminate in
tuberculosis, or impairment of eyesight or other crippling weakness
is prevented.
Influenza.—During 1930 there were 23 deaths in the Borough.
This is a decrease of 119 on the deaths from this cause registered
during 1929. The annual mortality rate from influenza is 0.107 per
1,000 inhabitants, as compared with 0.08 for London.
Diarrhoea.—The total number of deaths from this cause was 33,
and of these 24 were under one year of age. The number of deaths
from this disease in 1929 was 42. The annual mortality rate for
diarrhoea and enteritis during the year is 0.15 per 1,000 inhabitants.
Whooping Coughs—The deaths from this cause during the year
numbered 4. This is a decrease of 20 upon the number registered