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
Lewisham 1857
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham District]
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METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
| Week ending. | Weight of air. Barometer corrected. Mean inches. | Temperature of Air. Thermometer. | Prevailing winds. | Rainy days. | Amount of rain in inches. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest. | Lowest. | Mean of daily readings. | |||||
| Sept. 26. | 29.935 | 73°6 | 41°5 | 59°1 | Variable | 3 | 0.46 |
| Oct. 3. | 29.868 | 70 3 | 45 5 | 58 4 | S. W. | 1 | 0.17 |
| 10. | 29.357 | 63 4 | 41 9 | 50 7 | W. S. W. | 5 | 0.83 |
| 17. | 29.915 | 67 7 | 42 3 | 55 2 | Variable | 1 | 0.19 |
| 24. | 29.638 | 64 9 | 42 7 | 51 5 | Variable | 2 | 2.85 |
I have the honour to remain, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
F. E. "WILKINSON,
Sydenham, 29th October, 1857. Medical Officer of Health.
| DISTRICTS. | Males. | BIRTHS Females. | Total. | Males. | DEATHS Females. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackheath | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Lewisham | 8 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Union Workhouse | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Sydenham | 14 | 14 | 28 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Penge | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| N. S. Industrial School | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 28 | 27 | 55 | 15 | 14 | 29 |
Gentlemen,
The health of the district, as derived from the Registrar's returns of mortality, bears
a favourable aspect, 18 deaths having been registered during the month from 29th of
October to 21st of November, whilst last month the deaths in the district amounted to
27, and during the same period last year 23 deaths were registered.
The births of 25 boys and 26 girls have also been registered during the same time.
Three deaths have taken place from zymotic disease.
One, at Osborne Cottages, Lewisham, registered " choleraic fever."
One, at Avenue Road, Lewisham, influenza.
One, in West Kent Park, Sydenham, typhus fever.
Attacks of influenza have been lately very prevalent, excited by the cold and humid
atmosphere which has existed during the latter part of the month, but only one fatal
case is recorded.
With the exception of this, zymotic diseases are not prevalent, although still hovering
about some of the badly drained districts which I have so often brought under your
notice, in which only they seem to be occasionally fatal.
Blackheath.—Some cases of typhoid fever have occurred at Blackheath, in the house
of Mr. Bryan Donkin, which are certified by two medical men to have been occasioned
by the imperfect drainage around his residence, and I believe from what I have seen,
correctly so.
I have examined the house and grounds, and find that the garden and yard are honeycombed
with several cesspools, not only receiving the drainage of the house itself, but
also that of the adjoining ones. In my first report (January, 1856), I pointed out the
probability that the well water in this district might be contaminated in this way, and
G