London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
East Ham 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
This page requires JavaScript
The following table gives the number of cases notified, the attack rate per 1,000 of population, and the Case Mortality of this disease during the past five years:—
| Population. | Cases Notified. | Attack rate per 1,000 of Population. | Mortality per 100 Cases Notified. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 110,451 | 659 | 5.99 | 1.9 |
| 1904 | 116,902 | 711 | 6.12 | 1.4 |
| 1905 | 123,381 | 968 | 7.84 | 2.2 |
| 1906 | 129,886 | 790 | 6.08 | 2.2 |
| 1907 | 136,421 | 1,080 | 7.91 | 2.0 |
DIPHTHERIA.
This disease, like Scarlet Fever, was chiefly prevalent during
the latter part of the year. Of the total of 376 cases notified,
142 occurred during the first eight months and 234 in the last
four months of the year, the greatest number of cases being in the
Central East Ward.
Include 1 in this number of 376 were 19 cases of Laryngeal
Diphtheria or Membranous Croup.
42 deaths occurred from Diphtheria, including five from the
Laryngeal form of this disease.
During August and September, 13 cases of this disease
occurred in children residing in Brooks Avenue, affecting eight
separate houses. This row of houses faces the main Northern
Outfall Sewer of the London County Council, and the smell from
this had been very offensive about this time of the year. This
may have predisposed to the disease, for no definite source of
infection could be traced, and no reason found why so many
Children should have been attacked in these houses.
In connection with this disease, legal proceedings were taken
in one instance for transmitting infected clothing. The circumstances
were as follows:—