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

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St Saviour's (Southwark) 1898

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Saviour's]

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92
Lambeth Infirmary.
St. Saviour's Almshouses.
St. George's Workhouse.
Hampstead Workhouse.
Grove Hall Asylum.
Hollo way Gaol.
Before proceeding to a general statement of the causes of
deaths, I should like to make a few remarks on one or two
special diseases.
SCARLET FEVER.
During the past year there were notified 82 cases of Scarlet
Fever, of which 80 were removed to hospital, in pursuance of
the policy I have earnestly tried to carry out of isolating the
spread of infection by inducing the parents to send the patient
to a hospital. Immediately after the removal of the patient,
the rooms, bedding, and clothing are thoroughly disinfected,
and it is gratifying to discover that only in rare instances can
it be surmised that infection has been spread by the patient who
has been removed. In consequence of the superior facilities for
treating such a disease in hospitals, I am glad to have to record
but one death from this cause as compared with 35 per cent,
for all London.
DIPHTHERIA.
Most of the above remarks apply in this instance also, the
number of cases notified being 117, of which 111 were removed
to hospital. The deaths numbered 15, being at the rate of less
than 13 per cent. of cases notified, and 2 per cent. better than
that for the whole of London. This, no doubt, is largely due to
the modern serum treatment of the disease, which has done so
much to reduce its ravages.
TYPHOID FEVER.
There were 13 cases notified, of which 10 were removed to
hospital. The number of deaths was four. This is rather high,
but I was gratified to find on having the drains, etc., tested, and
the general sanitary state of the patients' houses carefully
examined into, in no mstance could the disease be attributed
to causes originating at home.