Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.
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The health of London generally, judged by the
death-rate alone, has been unusually good, and it is especially
gratifying to note that there has been a marked diminution
in the death-rate in all the districts of Camberwell. In
Dulwich the death-rate has sunk from 12·08 in a thousand
to 7·85, in Camberwell from 17·34 to 14·89, in Peckham
from 19·58 to 17·72, and in St. George's from 22·53 to
17·37. For the whole Parish there has been a reduction
from 19·38 to 16·33.
As usual, of course, the chief mortality has been in
children under 5 years of age, and especially of children in
their first year.
Although a case or two of epidemic cholera were
recorded in London, none occurred in Camberwell; and
deaths from diarrhœa were unusually few.
All infectious febrile disorders showed marked
diminution in mortality, with the exception of hoopingcough,
measles, and especially diphtheria. Concerning
diphtheria I shall make a few remarks subsequently.
Table XIII. gives a summary of the sanitary work
done by your sanitary inspectors. We have now thirteen
sanitary inspectors or one less than in the year immediately
preceding—owing to the appointment of Mr. Shapley
to a post under the London County Council. He only left
you, however, at the end of October, and indeed the last day
on which he officiated as your officer was the last day of
that month, and in addition to Mr. Griffiths, whose time is
occupied mainly with notifications and matters connected
therewith, a shorthand clerk remains in your service, and
TABLE XI. ANNUAL MORTALITY RETURN OF ZYMOTIC DISEASES, FROM 1856 (inclusive).
Year. | Hooping Cough. | Measles. | Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | Fever. | Small Pox. | Diarrhœa. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1856 | 32 | 48 | 30 | 19 | 5 | 29 | |
1857 | 30 | 7 | 44 | 24 | 4 | 50 | |
1858 | 51 | 28 | 129 | 14 | 20 | 7 | 26 |
1859 | 66 | 82 | 31 | 12 | ? | ||
1860 | 36 | 40 | 34 | 11 | 26 | 5 | ? |
1861 | 72 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 25 | 2 | ? |
1862 | 53 | 32 | 101 | 40 | 64 | 0 | ? |
1863 | 57 | 32 | 124 | 29 | 41 | 14 | ? |
1864 | 61 | 29 | 83 | 16 | 51 | 10 | ? |
1865 | 52 | 39 | 55 | 14 | 31 | 12 | 118 |
1866 | 72 | 38 | 59 | 11 | 53 | 35 | 76 |
1867 | 64 | 20 | 75 | 8 | 41 | 9 | 67 |
1868 | 58 | 67 | 71 | 17 | 45 | 13 | 146 |
1869 | 134 | 43 | 164 | 9 | 46 | 9 | 133 |
1870 | 49 | 24 | 192 | 10 | 57 | 23 | 160 |
1871 | 50 | 29 | 60 | 9 | 40 | 153 | 143 |
1872 | 132 | 46 | 86 | 1 | 38 | 41 | 124 |
1873 | 60 | 49 | 7 | 7 | 38 | 2 | 137 |
1874 | 76 | 54 | 24 | 9 | 57 | 2 | 93 |
1875 | 125 | 64 | 177 | 14 | 40 | 1 | 107 |
1876 | 93 | 33 | 78 | 16 | 31 | 32 | 126 |
1877 | 61 | 72 | 38 | 12 | 27 | 124 | 94 |
1878 | 206 | 88 | 59 | 29 | 41 | 81 | 176 |
1879 | 122 | 123 | 76 | 31 | 35 | 80 | 75 |
1880 | 206 | 59 | 126 | 32 | 36 | 33 | 223 |
1881 | 74 | 95 | 120 | 29 | 44 | 190 | 127 |
1882 | 180 | 168 | 76 | 60 | 44 | 66 | 100 |
1883 | 91 | 112 | 48 | 49 | 35 | 19 | 122 |
1884 | 173 | 171 | 82 | 78 | 40 | 34 | 240 |
1885 | 136 | 91 | 20 | 68 | 27 | 154 | 135 |
1886 | 156 | 97 | 18 | 48 | 30 | 2 | 215 |
1887 | 203 | 133 | 99 | 71 | 41 | 0 | 239 |
1888 | 130 | 101 | 105 | 65 | 31 | 1 | 115 |
1889 | 149 | 193 | 37 | 76 | 27 | 0 | 145 |
1890 | 191 | 163 | 51 | 60 | 26 | 0 | 144 |
1891 | 123 | 67 | 29 | 56 | 21 | 1 | 142 |
1892 | 128 | 189 | 63 | 85 | 21 | 1 | 169 |
1893 | 104 | 78 | 80 | 118 | 30 | 11 | 213 |
1894 | 126 | 164 | 45 | 193 | 21 | 2 | 115 |