London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
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]
This page requires JavaScript
MARCH.
| DISTRICTS. | BIRTHS. | DEATHS. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | Males. | Females. | Total. | |
| Blackheath | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Lewisham | 12 | 14 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Union Workhouse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sydenham | 14 | 13 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Penge | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Total | 31 | 31 | 62 | 15 | 9 | 24 |
Gentlemen,
During the month ending upon the 20th of March, the births of 31 males and 31
females (total 62) have been registered.
Also during the same space the deaths of 15 males and 9 females.
The health of the population of the district, as derived from the tables of mortality,
thus bears a very favourable aspect, in 1856 27 deaths having been registered during
the month of March, and in 1857 21 deaths.
From this information, also, March appears to be a very healthy month in this district.
Of epidemic diseases, scarlatina and measles are very prevalent in some parts of the
district.
Smallpox has also appeared at Lewisham, and one death has been registered from this
cause in Hanover Street.
One death from diarrhoea has take place at Queen Street, Blackheath.
I have appended a list of complaints of the localities which have been reported to you
from time to time as unhealthy, from January, 1857, up to the present time.
Tables of mortality are also in preparation for the year.
Meteorological tables for the month are appended as usual.
METEOROLOCICAL OBSERVATIONS.
| Week ending. | Weight of air. Barometer corrected. Mean inches. | Temperature op Air. Thermometer. | Prevailing winds. | Rainy days. | Amount of rain in inches. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest. | Lowest. | Mean of daily readings. | |||||
| Feb. 27. | 29.837 | 44°1 | 23°5 | 33°1 | E. | 0 | 0.00 |
| Mar. 6. | 29.420 | 43 0 | 23 3 | 31 5 | E. N. E. | 3 | 0.45 |
| 13. | 29.526 | 50 8 | 23 6 | 34 7 | N. W. | 1 | 0.28 |
| 20. | 29.963 | 61 4 | 36 9 | 48 0 | W. | 2 | 0.10 |
I have the honour to remain, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
F. E. WILKINSON,
Medical Officer of Health.
Sydenham, 25th March, 1858.