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 1902
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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The death-rate was 0.06 per 1,000 inhabitants as compared with 0.05 in 1901,
0.08 in 1900, and 013 in 1899. The mortality was at the rate of 4.6 per cent. of the
cases certified, as compared with 4.2 in 1901, 5.8 in 1900, 8 in 1899, 6.2 in 1898, 2.1
1897, and l.0 in 1896.
Blood poisoning (pyaemia and septicaemia) resulted in six deaths, infective
endocarditis in four, other allied diseases in three deaths, and
PUERPERAL FEVER,
a disorder grouped with erysipelas and blood poisoning, caused three deaths. The
death-rate from puerperal fever was 0.7 per 1,000 births as compared with 0.5 in 1901,
and 0.7 in 1900. The cases certified numbered 9, the attack-rate per 1000 births
being 2.2, as compared with 1.7 in 1901 and 2.5 in 1900.
DIARRHŒA.
Diarrhœa was prevalent in Shoreditch from the middle of August until the
beginning of October. The deaths being most numerous during the month of
September. The deaths from diarrhoea numbered five in July, 27 in August, 61 in
September, 17 in October, and one in November. The total number of deaths during
the year due to this disorder was 132. There were also 35 deaths attributed to
enteritis or gastro-enteritis. Of the 132 deaths from diarrhoea, 108 were of infants
under the age of one year, 19 of children aged from one to five years, and the
remainder were of persons over 25 years of age. The diarrhoea death-rate was 1.12
per 1,000 inhabitants as compared with 1.30 in 1901, 1.40 in 1900, 1.75 in 1899, 1.79
in 1898, and 1.74 in 1897. The rate was highest in Hoxton Old Town and lowest in
Shoreditch South.
The deaths from diarrhoea in the Metropolis amounted to 2,483, of which 1,886
occurred during the months of August, September, and October. The death rate due
to diarrhoea in London was 053 per 1,000 inhabitants, as compared with 0.85 in 1901.
In the subjoined Table is contained a comparison of the mortalities from diarrhœa in Shoreditch and London of infants under one year per 1,000 births during the years 1895 to 1902 inclusive.
| Year | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoreditch | 30.5 | 28.7 | 38.2 | 38.9 | 39.7 | 35.7 | 31.5 | 27.0 |
| London | 20.7 | 18.9 | 24.2 | 26.1 | 25.0 | 21.8 | 24.1 | — |
The chief conditions which favour the high infant mortality in Shoreditch from
diarrhoea as compared with London as a whole are the great density of the population
per acre in Shoreditch, and the relatively large proportion of persons earning a
precarious living.