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
London County Council 1893
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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16
Smallpox and Vaccination.
Smallpox caused one death in London in 1889, three in 1890, eight in 1891 and 29 in 1892.
In 1893 the number of deaths rose to 186.
The death rate from smallpox during successive periods has been as follows—
Smallpox death rate per 1,000 living.
1851-60 0.28 1891 0.00*
1861-70 0.28 1892 0.01#
1871-80 0.46 1893 0.04*
1881-90 0.14
The death rate in each year since 1840 in relation to the mean of the period 1841-93
is shown in Diagram IV.
During successive years since the passing of the Infectious Diseases (Notification) Act, 1889,
the number of cases of smallpox notified to the medical officers of health in London has been—
Year. Cases notified.
1890 60
1891 114
1892 425
1893 2,815
Notwithstanding the increase of smallpox in London in 1893, London has in this year suffered
less from smallpox than the majority of the 12 largest English towns, as will be seen by reference to the
following table. It will further be seen that in the majority of these towns the death rate of this
disease in 1893 was above the average of the preceding ten years.
| Ten years, 1883-92. | 1893. | Ten years, 1883-92. | 1893. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Ham | |||||
| Manchester | Bristol | ||||
| Liverpool | Bradford | ||||
| Birmingham | 0.05 | Nottingham | 0.02 | ||
| Leeds | Hull | ||||
| Sheffield | Salford |
If the London death rate from smallpox in 1893 be compared with those of the following ten foreign cities, it will be seen that the London rate was exceeded only by those of Paris and St. Petersburg, and in the preceding ten years the London rate was exceeded by those of five of these cities—
| Smallpox, 1883-92. | Smallpox, 1893. | Smallpox, 1883-92. | Smallpox, 1892. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Petersburg | .18 | .10 | |||
| Paris | .08 | .11 | Berlin | .00 | .00 |
| Brussels | .26 | .04 | Vienna | .21 | .03 |
| Amsterdam | .01 | .00 | Rome | .38 | .01 |
| Copenhagen | .00 | .00 | New York | .02 | .05 |
| Stockholm | .00 | .00 |
In the year, 2,815 persons were certified to be suffering from smallpox, of whom 2,457 were
removed to the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. Of the latter, 81 were found on
admission not to be suffering from smallpox.
See footnote (†), page 6.
† See footnote (*), page 6.