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

View report page

Wandsworth 1876

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

This page requires JavaScript

70
DISEASE.
Small Pox
Measles
Scarlatina
Diphtheria
Whooping Cough
Diarrhœa
Fever
1876.
First Second Third Fourth
Quarter. Quarter. Quarter. Quarter.
1
1
1 2
5 1 1
1 6
It is a matter of regret to observe, .for the first time
since 1871, a fatal case of Small Pox in our District.
Though only one case was fatal, it is proper to add that, not
only does this solitary case, in common with fatal cases of
other diseases, fail to give us any idea of the prevalence
of the disease, but, unlike them, is no criterion even of its
intensity. This is of course due to the fact that this disease,
like Cholera, is beginning to be treated, as all serious
epidemic diseases ought to be, by the common-sense
method of isolation. I say, beginning to be treated, because,
if any fact regarding this epidemic was made conspicuously
evident, it was the very inadequate preparation
for the hospital accommodation of the cases. In many
instances patients had to be left in crowded districts to
spread the deadly infection, and themselves to die for
want of proper nursing. In the introduction will be
found the suggestions I, along with my fellow officers,
have to make on this subject, and it is unnecessary to
enter upon it here. Seven cases of Small Pox were
removed to the Hospital during the year from this
Sub-district, of which one died; of those not removed,
of which there were about the same number, one died.
Both the fatal cases were of adults, said to be vaccinated,
and were of the confluent type. The most of