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
St Giles (Camden) 1874
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Giles District]
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TABLE No. 4. —The Death-rate to Population in St. Giles and its Sub-Districts in 1874.
| Sub-Districts. | Population. | Deaths. | Ratio of Deaths to Population. | Rate per 1,000. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. George, Bloomsbury. | 17,843 | 320 | 1 in 55.76 | 17.94 |
| St. Giles South | 19,089 | 633 | 1 in 31.73 | 33.16 |
| St. Giles North | 16,497 | 360 | 1 in 45.82 | 21.82 |
| Highgate Infirmary | ... | 59 | ... | ... |
| Whole District | 53,429 | 1,372 | 1 in 38.94 | 25.68 |
Our average Death-rate for ten years being 27.29, it is apparent
that our Death-rate last year was 1.61 below the average.
18. On comparing the Birth-rate with the Death-rate, we find
that our Births last year exceeded our deaths by 190 only, which
represents the natural increase of our population. Our population
is, however, actually decreasing, owing to emigrations and conversion
of dwelling houses into warehouses, &c.
19. The following Table shows the comparative Death-rate in St.
Giles and its Sub-Districts for a period of ten years, with the Deathrate
for 1874.
TABLE No. 5.—Death-rate per 1,000 in Sub-Districts.
| Districts. | 1864. | 1865. | 1866. | 1867. | 1868. | 1869. | 1870. | 1871. | 1872. | 1873. | Average Death-rate of 10 years. | 1874. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. George, Bloomsbury | 21.6 | 2.1 | 20.0 | 19.0 | 21.0 | 21.16 | 22.1 | 21.2 | 19.67 | 18. 0 | 20.48 | 17.94 |
| St. Giles South | 34.8 | 34.6 | 32.8 | 31.6 | 31.1 | 33.20 | 34.1 | 28.3 | 24.41 | 30.2 | 31.51 | 33.16 |
| St. Giles North | 29.2 | 26.6 | 29.8 | 26.6 | 25.3 | 29.47 | 27.5 | 23.4 | 21.15 | 20. 3 | 25.93 | 21.82 |
| Whole District | 31.1 | 29.6 | 29.0 | 26.9 | 26.8 | 27.94 | 28.19 | 25.6 | 23.77 | 23.90 | 27.29 | 25-.68 |
Increased Mortality in St. Giles South.
It is thus apparent that whilst St. George Bloomsbury and St.
Giles North have had a mean Death-rate below the decennial average,
that of St. Giles South has been above it, the general Death-rate for
the District having been below the average as 25.68 is to 27.29.
20. The increased mortality in St. Giles South was caused by a
continuance of the endemic of typhus fever (chiefly among the inhabitants
of the Great Wild Street section), and by pulmonary affections.
The latter are the constant scourge of this Sub-District, and as the
Metropolis generally suffered more than usual from these maladies,
owing to the remarkably low temperature of the latter months of the
year, we cannot be surprised that the mortality in St. Giles South
should exhibit a marked increase. I may observe that the temperature
fell suddenly in the week ending the 28th November, from a
mean of 44°1" to a mean of 32° 8"; and in that and the following week