Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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The enormous sanitary works carried out by the
Metropolitan Board of Works, and the Board of Works
for the Wandsworth District, in the way of drainage, road
making, paving, &c., have, by drying the soil and altering
the "water logged" condition which formerly prevailed,
completely changed the sanitary aspect of the locality.
Some few years since, just before the advent of the main
drainage, cases of Scarlatina, Diphtheria, and Croup were
of frequent and fatal occurrence, sweeping off whole
families of children in many cases, and in a much smaller
population than the present, killing far greater numbers.
The annexed table gives the comparative mortality for the years 1872 and 1873 in this division, together with the relative increase or decrease of each disease.
DISEASES. | 1872 | 1873 | Increase 1873 | Decrease 1873 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Classes :— | |||||
1. Zymotic | Small Pox | 6 | 8 | 2 | ... |
Measles | 20 | 23 | 3 | ... | |
Scarlatina | 9 | 3 | ... | 6 | |
Diphtheria | 1 | 1 | ... | ... | |
Quinsy | ... | ... | ... | ... | |
Croup | 6 | 4 | ... | 2 | |
Whooping Cough | 29 | 15 | ... | 14 | |
Typhus, &c. | 13 | 18 | 5 | ... | |
Erysipelas | ... | 3 | 3 | ... | |
Metria, Childbirth | 8 | 14 | 6 | ... | |
Carbuncle | ... | ... | ... | ... | |
Influenza | ... | ... | ... | ... | |
Diarrhœ a and Cholera ..................... | 34 | 31 | ... | 3 | |
Totals of Zymotic Class:— | 126 | 120 | 19 | 25 | |
2. Tubercular | 137 | 126 | ... | 11 | |
3. Of Brain, Nerves, &c. | 54 | 71 | 17 | ... | |
4. Of the Heart, &c. | 32 | 23 | ... | 9 | |
5. Of Respiratory Organs | 99 | 134 | 35 | ... | |
6. Of Digestive Organs | 19 | 25 | 6 | ... | |
7. Of Urinary Organs | 2 | 5 | 3 | ... | |
8. Of Organs of Generation | ... | 2 | 2 | ... | |
9. Of Joints, Bones, &c. | 2 | 3 | 1 | ... | |
10. Of Skin | ... | ... | ... | ... | |
11. Premature Birth, Low Vitality, Malformation, &c. | 19 | 29 | 10 | ... | |
12. Of Uncertain seat | 18 | 11 | ... | 7 | |
13. Age | 10 | 13 | 3 | ... | |
14. Violence | 13 | 15 | 2 | ... | |
15. Not Specified | 9 | 1 | ... | 8 | |
Totals | 540 | 578 | 98 | 60 |
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