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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117
NON.NOTIFIABLE DISEASES.
Measles.—This disease is not notifiable by Medical Practitioners
in the Borough, but it is possible to give comparative figures
relating to its incidence, since voluntary notification of cases has
been arranged with the School Medical Service.
The following table shows the number of cases discovered by the Health Visitors and Sanitary Inspectors, or reported to the Public Health Department by the teachers of the London County Council schools, doctors requiring nurses for patients, charitable agencies, parents, etc.:—
| Month. | No. of Cases which came to notice. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 1933 | 1932 | |
| January | 269 | 6 | 71 |
| February | 639 | 21 | 248 |
| March | 64:0 | 45 | 615 |
| April | 314 | 54 | 814 |
| May | 227 | 105 | 611 |
| June | 197 | 94 | 250 |
| July | 153 | 96 | 26 |
| August | 14 | 15 | 6 |
| September | 13 | 9 | 5 |
| October | 4 | 12 | 6 |
| November | 5 | 36 | 3 |
| December | 3 | 62 | — |
| Totals | 2,478 | 555 | 2,655 |
Measles makes its appearance in epidemic proportions in alternate
years, and it will be seen from the above table that the disease
was very prevalent in the Borough during the first seven months of
the year under review.
No difficulty was experienced, however, in securing the admission
of cases of measles to hospital for treatment although, as a
result of the prevalence of this disease and the higher incidence of
infectious diseases generally throughout the Metropolis, the London
County Council were compelled to restrict the admission of cases
of scarlet fever from the 11th January until the 9th July, 1934.
The number of cases of measles admitted to the London County
Council's hospitals during 1934 was 330, as compared with 90 cases
removed to hospital in 1933 and 401 in 1932.
Twenty.seven deaths from measles occurred during 1934, as
compared with three in 1933 and 50 in 1932. The mortality rate
per 1,000 inhabitants in 1934 was, therefore, 0.12, as compared with
0.20 for London.
The results obtained from the proper treatment of measles are
not merely that death is escaped, but that invalidism, which may
culminate in tuberculosis, or impairment of vision or other crippling
weakness, is prevented.