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
Hackney 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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111
Scarlet Fever or Scarlatina.—The number of cases of scarlet
fever notified during the year was 975. Sixty-six of the patients
notified as suffering from this disease were found, after admission
to hospital, not to be suffering from an infectious disease. The
actual number of cases of scarlet fever occurring in the Borough
during the year was, therefore, 909. This is a decrease of 188
upon the actual number of cases that occurred during 1933. The
attack-rate for scarlet fever was 4.30 per 1,000 persons living, and
for England and Wales, 3.76.
The number of cases removed to hospital during the year was
810. This is equal to 89.1 per cent. of the actual number of cases
which occurred in the Borough during the year.
The following table shows the distribution of scarlet fever in the Electoral Wards and Registration Sub-districts of the Borough:—
| Area. | No. of cases. | Attack-rate per 1,000 living. |
|---|---|---|
| The Borough | 909 | 4.30 |
| Wards:— | ||
| Stamford Hill | 147 | 4.12 |
| Downs | 69 | 3.66 |
| West Hackney | 81 | 4.56 |
| Hackney | 120 | 4.75 |
| Kingsland | 78 | 3.84 |
| South Hackney | 103 | 4.71 |
| Clapton Park | 205 | 5.18 |
| Homerton | 106 | 3.30 |
| Registration Sub-districts:— | ||
| Hackney North | 297 | 4.11 |
| Hackney South-West | 301 | 4.46 |
| Hackney South-East | 311 | 4.34 |
Six of the 909 cases of scarlet fever were patients in the same
family as a person who had, within the previous 28 days, returned
from hospital after having been treated for this disease.
Cases of this kind are called "return" cases, and careful
investigation is made in these cases with a view to ascertaining
whether there is any direct evidence that infection has been conveyed
by the discharged patient. No such evidence could be obtained in
regard to the six "return" cases.
The following table shows the housing conditions of those
persons under 15 years of age who were attacked by scarlet fever
during the year:—