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
Wandsworth 1859
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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in this Report to mention this fact, to show that in the present state of the
law the possibility of the perpetration of secret crime remaining undetected is
not precluded as far as it might be, by the intervention of medical investigation
in all cases of death, the cause of which has not been certified by a registered
medical practitioner. Of single diseases Scarlet Fever was the most fatal,
causing 13.8 per cent. of all deaths; the next fatal was Consumption, which
caused 9 per cent.; this amount is remarkably low, and it would appear from
the Registrar General's Returns, that fatality from this disease, although
actually great, is relatively low in this, compared with that of most of the other
metropolitan districts. The remaining causes of death were of about the
average number.
Upwards of 42 per cent. of all deaths occurred under the age of 20, and
nearly 32 per cent. did not cxceed the age of 5 years. This amount of
infant mortality is greatly in excess of the average, as might be expected from
the greater prevalence of diseases peculiarly obnoxious to children.
More than 4/5 of the total mortality occurred amongst the labouring classes.
Of the 60 deaths resulting from epidemic diseases, 55, and of the
46 deaths from Scarlet Fever, 42, took place amongst them.
| Years | Small-pox | Measles | Scarlet Fever | Diphtheria | Hooping-cough | Diarrhoea | Fever, Typhus & Typhoid | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 | 9 | 2 | 4 | .. | 12 | 4 | 12 | 43 |
| 1857 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .. | 1 | 14 | 11 | 29 |
| 1858 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .. | 4 | 1 | 7 | 22 |
| 1859 | 2 | 7 | 43 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 60 |
It is seen that the total amount in last year exceeded the average of the
three preceding years by nearly one-half, and that the excess was due to
Scarlet Fever. This disease prevailed very extensively during the first three
quarters of the year; Measles to a considerable extent during May and the
five following months; Diarrhoea during the entire year; but its amount was
trifling, and much less than usual in the summer quarter; Hoopiny-cough
during the first six months and in December; Small-pox was present to a
slight extent in the spring quarter and in December: the only two deaths
which occurred from this disease were of men both upwards of 40 years of age,
and unvaccinated. The winter quarter, notwithstanding its great and sudden
changes of climate, was remarkably healthy, and comparatively free from
epidemic disease. There was a singular absence of death from Typhus or
Typhoid Fever.