Report for the year 1897 of the statistical committee, with appendices : (12th year of issue) / Metropolitan Asylums Board.

  • Metropolitan Asylums Board (London, England). Statistical Committee.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report for the year 1897 of the statistical committee, with appendices : (12th year of issue) / Metropolitan Asylums Board. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    38/220 (page 30)
    SMALLPOX. Table I. on p. 98 shows the number of smallpox patients admitted from each parish or union during each month of the year 1897, and the total admissions for the year. It also shows the total deaths and discharges, and the number remaining under treatment at the beginning and end of the year. The total number of smallpox cases admitted was 70, which, together with one remaining at the beginning of the year, made a total of 71 treated during the year. Of this number 13 died, and the remainder were discharged. But, in addition to these numbers, there were of non-smallpox cases two admitted to the hospital ships, 24 detained at the observation shelters at South Wharf (one of whom died there and another remained under treatment at the end of the year), and 26 were returned direct to their homes. Full information as to the cases admitted to the hospital ships will be found in the report of the Medical Superintendent, Dr. Ricketts, on pp. 94-5, and as to the cases detained at the South Wharf shelters in the report of the Medical Officer of the River Service, Dr. Brooke, on pp. 92-3. Tab] es IIa., IIb., and lie., on pp. 99-110, supply detailed particulars concerning the vaccination of the smallpox patients admitted. Table lie. (which is a combination of Tables IIa. and IIb.) shows that vaccination cicatrices were present in 53 cases, of whom five died. In four cases there was “ no evidence ” as to cicatrices—(these were either cases said to have been vaccinated, but bearing no visible evidence of the operation, or else cases in which no statement was made and the eruption or other cause prevented the observation of any marks)—three of these died; in 13 cases vaccination cicatrices were absent, four of these died, as did also one case which remained in hospital at the end of 1896. Fever.—In the course of the year 1897 no fewer than CASES OF mistaken 1,417 (1,17 If) patients, or a percentage on the total admissions of diagnosis. 0.Q2 (5'3)* were, after admission at the fever hospitals, found not to be suffering from the diseases mentioned in the medical certificates upon which they were removed to hospital. The largest number of cases thus admitted to any one hospital was, as in previous years, at the Eastern Hospital, where the proportion was 329 (353) out of 3,074 (3,17 If) admissions, or 107 (7*<9) per cent, of the total. As regards scarlet fever cases the percentage was 3T (3'3), diphtheria cases 11*3 (11'1), and enteric fever cases 44T (38'7). Amongst the 466 cases wrongly certified as scarlet fever, there were 62 (71/) of measles, 113 (58) of tonsillitis, and 66 (81) had no obvious disease. Amongst the 643 cases wrongly certified as diphtheria were 31 (33) of