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
Hampstead 1898
Report on the sanitary condition of the Parish of St. John, Hampstead for the year 1898
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The following table shows the diminution or excess of deaths in 1898 from the seven principal zymotic diseases:—
| Causes of death. | 1898. | 1897. | Diminution in1898. | Excessin 1898. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Pox | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Scarlet Fever | 3 | 5 | 2 | .. |
| Diphtheria | 19 | 17 | .. | 2 |
| Measles | 26 | 9 | .. | 17 |
| Whooping Cough | 27 | 25 | .. | 2 |
| Enteric and Typhoid Fever | 10 | 5 | .. | 5 |
| Continued Fever | 1 | 5 | .. | 1 |
| Diarrhæa | 24 | 30 | 6 | .. |
| Total | 110 | 91 | 8 | 27 |
Small Pox.—It is satisfactory to be able to report that no case of
small pox was registered in the year, this making the third year since
the disease visited our parish.
There was only one death from this cause during the year in
London, against 88, 55, 9, and 16 deaths in the four preceding years.
In connection with the subject of small pox it is necessary to
take note of the alteration effected in the law by the Vaccination Act
which passed in 1898, and which will remain in force for five years.
By this Act, "Conscientious objectors" are enabled to claim exemption
from vaccination for their children. It must be remembered that
before the passing of the Act some 17 per cent. of the children born in
the kingdom managed by one device or another to escape the vigilance
of the Yaccination Officer, and it has been calculated that every 10
years some 120,000 unvaccinated children arc added to the population