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
Battersea 1902
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1902
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The next table gives the death-rate from each of the
chief zymotic diseases compared with the mean death-rate in
the preceding deciennium, and the gain or loss in each case
is also given :—
TABLE XIV.
| Diseases. | Mean Deathrate per 1000 1892-1901. | Death-rate per 1000 1902. | Gain in 1902. | Loss in 1902. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-Pox | .02 | .14 | ... | .12 |
| Measles | .6 | .5 | .1 | ... |
| Erysipelas | .09 | .06 | .03 | ... |
| Scarlet Fever | .16 | .13 | .03 | ... |
| Diphtheria | 53 | .1 | .43 | ... |
| Enteric Fever | .13 | .09 | .04 | ... |
| Puerperal Fever | .04 | .08 | ... | .04 |
| Whooping Cough | .5 | .3 | .2 | ... |
| Diarrhœa | .8 | .5 | .3 | ... |
It will be seen from the above table that the death-rate
from diphtheria, diarrhoea, scarlet fever, measles, whooping
cough, enteric fever and erysipelas in 1902 was below the
mean death-rate for the preceding ten years. The reduction
is most marked in the case of diphtheria, but is also
considerable in diarrhoea and whooping cough. The increase
in puerperal fever is more apparent than real, being partly
accounted for by improved certification. The death-rate
from the seven principal zymotic diseases—viz., small-pox,
scarlet fever, diphtheria, enteric fever, measles, whooping
cough and diarrhoea, was 176, the death-rate from these
diseases in the County of London being 2.21.