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
Whitechapel 1871
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]
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5
Pauper Illness in the Disteict.
The Medical Officers of the Union have attended during the last quarter
1705 new cases of illness out of the "Workhouse; including 58 of small-pox,
40 of measles, 12 of scarlet-fever, 19 of hooping-cough, 42 of diarrhcea, 24 of
fever, and 10 of erysipelas. In the corresponding quarter of the previous
year the number of pauper cases of illness was 3523; including 245 of smallpox,
7 of measles, 19 of scarlet-fever, 32 of hooping-cough, 107 of diarrhoea,
171 of fever, and 36 of erysipelas. The diminution in the number of fever
cases is very remarkable.
Meteorology of Greenwich.
The returns of the Registrar-General show that the rain-fall in the
Metropolis during the quarter has been 3.12 inches. During the corresponding
quarter of last year the rain-fall was 7.66 inches. The mean temperature
of the air was 41.9°. In the corresponding quarter of last year the mean
temperature was 41.8°. The coldest days during the quarter were Saturday,
the 18th November, Sunday, the 19th, and Friday, the 8th December, when
the thermometer indicated respectively 25.0°, 20.3°, and 18.6°. The coldest
day during the corresponding quarter of last year was on Christmas-day,
when the thermometer indicated 9.8°, or 22.2° below the freezing point.
The total rain-fall during the year was 22.41 inches. In the previous year
the rain-fall was 18.6 inches.
The following Table, taken from tho returns of the Registrar-General, shows the comparative results during the quarter:—
LONDON.
| Oct. 7th | Oct. 14th | Oct. 21st | Oct. 28th | Nov 4th | Nov 11th | Nov 18th | Nov 25th | Dec. 2nd | Dec. 9th | Dec. 16th | Dec. 23rd | Dec. 30th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths from Small-Pox | 72 | 61 | 53 | 1 | 61 | 54 | 76 | 67 | 78 | 104 | 106 | 90 | 97 |
| Deaths from Scarlet Fever | 38 | 29 | 40 | 31 | 38 | 32 | 40 | 34 | 39 | 34 | 37 | 28 | 34 |
| Mean Temperature of the air | 51.9° | 45.5° | 53.5° | 46.9° | 47.3° | 39.2° | 35.3° | 34.3° | 36.4° | 29.80 | 39.9 | 41.6 | 43.0° |
| Rain - fall in inches | 0.77 | oo.o | 0.55 | 0.01 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.29 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.04 | 0.10 | 0.51 | 0.56 |
| Deaths in London | 1283 | 1275 | 1291 | 13G6 | 1400 | 13615 | 1626 | 1863 | 19l8 | 1856 | 2121 | 1493 | 1686 |
| Deaths in Whitechapel District | 42 | 47 | 33 | 48 | 41 | 49 | 47 | 73 | 58 | 54 | 78 | 55 | 44 |
| Deaths in ditto from Small-pox | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Water Supply.
The constant system of water supply, by the use of waste-preventers
in the poorer districts, is increasing, and continues to give great satisfaction.
There are now 156 waste-preventers, (10 new ones having been erected
during the quarter), which supply water to about 1200 houses. So
convinced am I of the great improvement of this mode of supply to the poor
over the old intermittent system, that I have no hesitation in saying that it
should be made compulsory on landlords of small tenements to adopt it; and
I am happy in being able to state that the Metropolitan Board of Works