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

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Wandsworth 1875

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

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64
A brief analysis has already been given of the Zymotic
portion of the Table, Of the several headings under
ordinary diseases (Non·Zymotic), those of the "Brain and
Nerves," "the Heart," and the "Eespiratory Organs," give
greater numbers in the present report than in the previous
one, but in all the others there appears but little difference, if
we except the heading of "Premature Birth, Low Vitality,
Malformation, &c.," which presents 16 deaths in the past
year, against only 7 in 1874. The next point to be
observed upon is the number of deaths amongst the infant
and youthful portion of the population, or amongst those
between birth and ten years of age. These deaths have
rather increased during the past year, the relative proportions
in the two years 1874·1875 being 57 against 71. Seventy·
one is rather a large fatality to record amongst children out
of 176 at all ages, but it is not so large as has prevailed in
some of the past ten years. The persons dying of old age
numbered 11, 4 of whom were between 60 and 80 years of
age, and 7 between 80 and 91, the last·named age being
that of the oldest person who succumbed during the year.
Social Position of the Deceased.—There are four
columns in the Table devoted to the record of the social
position of the deceased, and it is interesting to observe the
comparative numbers in these several columns. Of the
three classes above that of the industrial, there appear to
have died 97 persons, 71 of whom were of the middle or
trading class, 8 of the nobility and gentry, and 18 of the
professional and merchant class. In the aggregate the
deaths amongst these three classes exceeded those amongst
the industrial class by 27. It has been several times
remarked in these reports that the disparity of numbers
some years ago was very greatly against the industrial
classes. This fact should never be lost sight of, as it
indicates, in the clearest possible manner, the advantages
which have accrued, and will ever accrue, from directing
our sanitary efforts towards the amelioration of the
condition of the poor. The 70 deaths in the fourth column
of social position include the fatal cases that have occurred