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 following table gives the number of Small-pox cases and deaths in Battersea and in the County of London since 1891 :—
| Year. | Battersea. | London. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | Deaths. | Cases. | Deaths. | |
| 1891 | – | – | 114 | 8 |
| 1892 | 2 | 1 | 425 | 41 |
| 1893 | 108 | 12 | 2,815 | 206 |
| 1894 | 8 | 2 | 1,193 | 89 |
| 1895 | 20 | 1 | 980 | 55 |
| 1896 | 4 | – | 225 | 9 |
| 1897 | 1 | – | 104 | 16 |
| 1898 | 1 | – | 33 | 1 |
| 1899 | – | – | 29 | 3 |
| 1900 | – | 86 | 4 | – |
| 1901 | 51 | 4 | 1,700 | 229 |
| 1902 | 169 | 25 | 7,797 | 1.314 |
Battersea, in common with the rest of London, had been
remarkably free from Small-pox since 1891, except for a
comparatively small outbreak in 1893-4. The London outbreak
of 1901-2 began in St. Pancras in August, 1901, the disease
being in all probability imported from Paris. No case was
known to occur in Battersea until October 12th, when a case
was discovered in Abercrombie Street. This patient's son,
however, had had a mild attack of the disease some three
weeks previously, but the nature of his complaint had not been
recognised. From October 12th, 1901, cases occurred
practically every week until August 4th, 1902. A case was