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
East Ham 1910
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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52
The result is that the average duration of stay in the
Hospital is considerably above that of the minimum period.
(See Table on p 56).
These prolonged cases are chiefly amongst those suffering
from Nephritis (inflammation of the kidney), a common complication
of Scarlet Fever, which if not sufficiently treated ends
in Chronic Bright's Disease.
I have also found that it is most important to prolong the
stay in Hospital when the patient suffers from Otorrhcea or
Suppurative Rhinitis on account of the discharge being very
contagious.
DIPHTHERIA.
155 cases of this disease were treated during the year, as
compared with 261 in 1909 and 362 in 1908.
Eight deaths occurred, giving a case mortality of 5.55, this being the lowest rate from this disease for the last seven years, as the table below shows:—
| 1904 | 14.6 | 1908 | 12.7 |
| 1905 | 11.9 | 1909 | 7.27 |
| 1906 | 10.9 | 1910 | 5.55 |
| 1907 | 9.4 |
In Diphtheria, early treatment with injection of Antitoxine
is most important, and it is noteworthy that of the 8 deaths not
one of these had been injected before admission. The Council
provides Antitoxine free of charge to all Medical Practitioners
for cases within the Borough, and this, with free Bacteriological
diagnosis, accounts for the low death rate.
Antitoxine was given to all cases on admission. 14 cases
were Laryngeal, which is the most fatal form.