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
Shoreditch 1900
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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23
These figures shew that the average number of deaths annually attributed to
"fever" in Shoreditch, during the 15 years ending 1870, was 134, during the 15 years
ending 1885 it was 41, and during the last 15 years it has fallen to a little over 20.
On the authority of Dr. Barnes, typhus fever was unusually prevalent in Shoreditch
during the years 1862 to 1864. A reference to the foregoing table will shew that the
deaths from " fever " during that period were more than usually numerous. Contrasting
the numbers of cases of "fever" coming under the treatment of the district medical
officers in Shoreditch at the present day with those of 40 years ago (see page 11),
the great decrease which has taken place is very striking. Probably many of the cases
formerly described as " fever " would now be classed otherwise. In his Annual Eeport
for 1864, Dr. Barnes remarks that the " fever" cases returned by the Poor Law medical
officers " include necessarily many cases of very different type, and even many which
it would be impossible to range under the specific heads of typhus or typhoid." But
making every allowance for this, I do not think that there can be any question as to
the fact that a great decrease in the prevalence of typhus and typhoid fevers has
taken place in Shoreditch.
The deaths from enteric, typhus and continued fevers separately, since 1869, are set out below :
| Year. | Enteric Pever. | Typhus Fever. | Continued Fever. | Year. | Enteric Fever. | Typhus Fever | Continued Fever. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 40 | 20 | 26 | 1886 | 32 | 2 | 1 |
| 1871 | 44 | 16 | 15 | 1887 | 25 | . . . | ... |
| 1872 | 32 | 4 | 16 | 1888 | 20 | . . . | ... |
| 1873 | 42 | 9 | 13 | 1889 | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 1874 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 1890 | 20 | 1 | 3 |
| 1875 | 30 | 6 | 10 | 1891 | 19 | . . . | |
| 1876 | 25 | 5 | 11 | 1892 | 13 | 1 | 2 |
| 1877 | 42 | 2 | 17 | 1893 | 17 | ... | 1 |
| 1878 | 40 | 2 | 4 | 1894 | 12 | . . . | . . . |
| 1879 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 1895 | 21 | . . . | . . . |
| 1880 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 1896 | 18 | . . . | . . . |
| 1881 | 31 | 3 | 5 | 1897 | 19 | . . . | . . . |
| 1882 | 27 | 1 | 4 | 1898 | 17 | ... | . . . |
| 1883 | 13 | . . . | 1 | 1899 | 25 | . . . | . . . |
| 1884 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 1900 | 14 | . . . | . . . |
| 1885 | 15 | ... | . . . |
The above figures are distinctly satisfactory ; no deaths from typhus fever or
continued fever have been registered for several years past, and I think that it may be
claimed that the past activity of the Sanitary Authority, in the exercise of their
powers under the statutes relating to Public Health, has been very largely instrumental
in bringing about the decrease in the mortality from " fever" which has taken place
during the past 30 years.