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 1903
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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 decennium, and the gain or loss in each case is
also given : —
TABLE XII.
| Diseases. | Mean Deathrate per 1000 1893-1902. | Death-rate per 1000 1903 | Gain in 1903. | Loss in 1903. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-Pox | .02 | .00 | .02 | ... |
| Measles | .62 | .61 | .01 | ... |
| Erysipelas | .08 | .06 | .02 | ... |
| Scarlet Fever | .15 | .04 | .11 | ... |
| Diphtheria | .50 | .16 | .34 | ... |
| Enteric Fever | .13 | .09 | .04 | ... |
| Puerperal Fever | .04 | .02 | .02 | ... |
| Whooping Cough | .50 | .45 | .05 | ... |
| Diarrhœa | .8 | .53 | .32 | ... |
It will be seen from the above table that in 1903 the
death-rate in every case 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 diarrhœa and puerperal
fever. No deaths from small-pox occurred during the year.
The death-rate from the seven principal zymotic diseases —viz.,
small-pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, enteric fever, measles,
whooping cough and diarrhœa was 1.88, the death-rate from
these diseases in the County of London being 1.72.
Notifiable Infectious Disease.
Compulsory notification of certain infectious diseases came
into force in Battersea in the year 1889 by the adoption of the
Infectious Diseases (Notification) Act, 1889.