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
Twickenham 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Twickenham]
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The number of notifications was 77, being 54 less than during the preceding year, and 10 higher than the average for the preceding nine years. Deaths from diphtheria numbered four. The mortality rate per 100 cases was 5.2.
The monthly incidence of cases was:—
| January | 18 | July | 3 |
| February | 11 | August | 1 |
| March | 13 | September | 3 |
| April | 4 | October | 6 |
| May | 4 | November | 4 |
| June | 7 | December | 3 |
| Total 77 | |||
As mentioned in last year's report, there had been a
considerable prevalence of diphtheria in the last three
months of the year 1919.
In December of that year, 45 cases were notified but
from that time there was a rapid fall in the number of
notifications.
In January, 1920, eighteen cases were notified and after
March, only 35 cases occurred during the remainder of the
year.
The cases notified were distributed fairly evenly
throughout the district, except in the Whitton ward, where
only one case occurred during the year.
Administrative measures, bacteriological examinations,
etc.
All school classes in which a case of diphtheria had
occurred were visited daily by the nursing staff for ten
days after the occurrence of a case, and the throats of all
the members examined.