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
Kensington 1911
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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| District. | Deaths from Phthisis. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number in 1905. | Number in 1906. | Mean Annual Number 1905-6. | Number in 1911. | Increase or decrease per cent. | |
| North Kensington | 139 | 154 | 146 | 107 | -27 |
| South Kensington | 60 | 60 | 60 | 48 | -20 |
| St. Charles | 32 | 34 | 33 | 30 | -9 |
| Golborne | 37 | 48 | 42 | 25 | -40 |
| Norland . | 54 | 52 | 53 | 31 | -42 |
| Pembridge | 16 | 20 | 18 | 21 | +17 |
| Holland | 21 | 21 | 21 | 11 | -48 |
| Earl's Court | 10 | 13 | 12 | 15 | +25 |
| Queen's Gate | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | -17 |
| Redcliffe | 15 | 11 | 13 | 11 | -15 |
| Brompton | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | -25 |
| The Borough | 199 | 214 | 206 | 155 | -25 |
The figures show that in North Kensington, the poorer half of the Borough, the percentage
reduction in the number of deaths from phthisis has been greater than in the South, whilst
the number of deaths occurring annually in the whole Borough has been reduced by 25 per cent. in
five years. Norland probably contains a larger proportion of very poor persons than any other
district, and shows the greatest reduction in phthisis mortality recorded in the wards of North
Kensington. Taken as a whole the results are satisfactory, and show that the poorer districts have
in each case contributed a large share of the substantial reduction in the number of deaths from
phthisis which has taken place throughout the Borough in the last five years.
In its bearing on the well-known fact that phthisis is in the main a disease of the poor, it will
be noted that in each year dealt with in the above table the deaths in North Kensington have been
more than twice as numerous as in the South, the population of the two areas being approximately
equal in number. The places where deaths from phthisis occurred are set forth in the following
list, and also afford some indication of the social status of persons attacked by fatal phthisis.
Place of Death. Number of Deaths.
Kensington Infirmary 59
Home 69
Brompton Hospital 4
St. Luke's Home 4
Outlying Hospitals and Asylums 16
Other Deaths beyond the Borough 3
Total 155
More than one third of the total number of deaths occurred in Poor Law Infirmaries; whilst
12 out of 69 patients who died at home had received medical relief from the Guardians during their
illness. Thus 71 or approximately half the total number of 155 deaths occurred in persons who
had applied to the Poor Law Authorities for medical relief. As an indication of social status the
occupation of those who died will be given on a subsequent page, but all records in this connection
must be understood to illustrate the effects of two factors operating in a vicious circle. Whilst
poverty is a fertile cause of phthisis, it is also in a large measure itself the outcome of disabling
chronic ailments, and among diseases of this class phthisis stands pre-eminent.