London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Wandsworth 1874

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]

This page requires JavaScript

78
that have been carried on in this Sub-district with so much
earnestness during the existence of the District Board.
It was some time since no uncommon circumstance to
find recorded from 20 to 30 deaths due to the 7 principal
Zymotic maladies, so that a reduction of these deaths from
the above number to about 6 in each of the two past
years, is a condition of the Register upon which the
inhabitants of this favoured locality may be very fairly
congratulated. Even the most economically disposed
must concede that many of the results referred to in this
and former Reports fully justify the expenditure incurred
in the construction of an efficient system of sewerage, and
the accomplishment of other necessary sanitary undertakings
that have been rendered imperative by the acts of
the legislature.
Costly though some of these sanitary measures have
proved, it should never be lost sight of, that it is not alone
the saving of life effected by these undertakings upon which
we have to congratulate ourselves, but the saving of a large
amount of pain and suffering as well. It has been remarked
by the Registrar General that " the last three years show a
marked reduction in the mortality of London, and imply
an improvement of the health of the drained city. The
annual mortality of all London (including this District) for
the ten years 1840-49, was 25.2 ; for the thirty-five years
1840-74, it was 24.2 ; for the last three years 1872-74, it
was 22.2. Upon the population of 1874, this reduction
of the mortality of 3 in 1000 implies a diminution of
10,200 deaths a year, and of the constant sufferings of
double that number, on an average of sick people.''