London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Fulham 1895

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham]

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22
at home, as it is not an uncommon thing for removal to b???
refused on the day of notification on the ground that th
child has recovered. The marked decline in the fatality c
cases treated in the Hospitals, while that of the case
treated ouside remain practically the same, naturally call
attention to the treatment of Diphtheria by Anti.toxi
Serum, which has been used in all cases of Diphtheria
excepting those of a very mild type, that have been admitted
into the Hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums' Boar
during the year, while it was, I believe, used in only on
case that remained at home. One cannot, of course, front
the number of cases dealt with here, draw definite conclu???
sions as to the value of the Anti-toxic Serum, but it in
certainly most significant that there should have been this
reduction in the mortality in the Hospitals when the only
new factor in the treatment is the use of Anti-toxic Serum???
and judging from the mortality of those treated at home
the type of the disease has remained the same.
Since the above was written, the Medical Superintendents
of the Hospitals of the Asylums' Board have presented ???
report upon the use of Anti toxic Serum in the treatment ???
Diphtheria.
The report is too lengthy to be dealt with fully here. A???
number of tables are given in the report showing the results
obtained with the Serum, as compared with those of former
years, and summarising the results observed, the Medical
Superintendents state that:—
The improved results in the Diphtheria cases treated during the year
1895, which are indicated by the foregoing statistics and clinical
observations, are:—
(i.) A great reduction in the mortality of cases brought under
treatment on the first and second day of illness.
(ii.) The lowering of the combined general mortality to a point
below that of any former year.
(iii.) The still more remarkable reduction in the mortality of the
laryngeal cases.
(iv.) The uniform improvement in the results of tracheotomy at
each separate Hospital.
(v.) The beneficial effect produced on the clinical course of the
disease.