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 1867
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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Prevalence and Fatality of Epidemic Diseases.—The following table exhibits the deaths which have resulted from the principal Epidemic diseases during the past and 10 preceding years, and the relation which they bore to the deaths from all causes.
| YEARS. | Small Pox | Measles. | Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | Whooping Cough. | Cholera. | Diarrhœa. | Fever-Typhus and Typhoid. | Total Deaths from Epidemics. | Total Deaths from all causes. | Percentage of deaths from Epidemics to deaths from all causes. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1857 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | … | 14 | 11 | 29 | 248 | 11.2 |
| 1858 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | … | 1 | 7 | 22 | 289 | 7.6 |
| 1859 | 2 | 7 | 43 | 3 | 2 | … | 3 | 0 | 60 | 311 | 19.2 |
| 1860 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | … | 4 | 4 | 22 | 308 | 7.1 |
| 1861 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 4 | … | 8 | 3 | 30 | 246 | 12.1 |
| 1862 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 5 | 11 | … | 5 | 11 | 62 | 273 | 22.7 |
| 1863 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 1 | 9 | … | 6 | 13 | 62 | 300 | 20.6 |
| 1864 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | … | 8 | 13 | 43 | 311 | 13.8 |
| 1865 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | ... | 19 | 18 | 54 | 338 | 15.9 |
| 1866 | 3 | 23 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 5 | 73 | 351 | 20.7 |
| 1867 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 33 | 332 | 9.9 |
It is important in this respect especially, that so closely
do the variations in the general death-rate correspond with
the fluctuations in the mortality from Epidemic disease,
that the latter may be generally accepted as the exponent
of the former. A reference to the table shows that the
mortality from Epidemic diseases during the past year was
upwards of one-third less than the average of the preceding
ten years.
Small-pox prevailed during the first six months, and
Scarlatina during the latter six months in the year; both,
however, to a slight extent. Whooping Cough was also
slightly prevalent, chiefly iff the first and third quarters of
the year. Diarrhoea and Fever were present, as usual,
more or less during the whole year; and the former was
the most prevalent of any of these diseases.
Sickness and Mortality amongst the Parochial Poor.—
The nature and amount of sickness, with its fatal results,
which came under treatment amongst the parochial poor
during the vear, is shown in Table 5, in the Appendix.
B