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 1873
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]
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and 13 of erysipelas. In the corresponding quarter of the previous year,
the number of pauper cases of illness was 1428, including 28 of small-pox,
27 of measles, 6 of scarlet-fever, 42 of hooping-cough, 27 of diarrhoea, 6 of
fever, 94 of febricula, and 13 of erysipelas.
The total number of cases in the Workhouse has been 802, including 2
of hooping-cough, 14 of diarrhoea, and 38 of febricula.
Meteorology oe Greenwich.
The Returns of the Registrar-General show that the rain-fall in the
Metropolis during the quarter has been 5.73 inches. During the corresponding
quarter of last year the rain-fall was 5.66 inches. The mean temperature
of the air was 39.5°. In the corresponding quarter of last year the
mean temperature was 43.3°. The coldest days during this quarter were
Sunday, the 2nd February, Monday, 24th February, and Tuesday, the 25th
Februaiy, when the thermometer indicated respectively 25.8°, 25.0°, and
25.0°. In the corresponding quarter of the previous year the greatest degree
of cold was on Thursday, the 2lst March, when the thermometer indicated
26.2°. In the week ending March 1st, 1873, the rain-fall was 1.44 inches
The following table, taken from the returns of the Registrar-General shows the comparative results of the Quarter :—
LONDON.
| Jan. 4th | Jan. 11th | Jan. 18 th | Jan. 25th | Feb. 1st | Feb. 8th | Feb. 15 th | Feb. 22nd | Mar. 1st | Mar. 8th | Mar. 15th | Mar 22nd | Mar 29th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths from Small | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Deaths from Fev- | 25 | 22 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 37 | 19 | 18 | 24 | 35 | 34 |
| Mean Tempera ture of the air | 45.2° | 47.9° | 46.1° | 37.4° | 33.3° | 32.9° | 36.0° | 33.4° | 36.0. | 43.3 | 38.6 | 39.1 | |
| Rain-fall in inches | 0.80 | 0.92 | 0.26 | 0.62 | 0.02 | 0.59 | 0.04 | 0.08 | 1.44 | 0.24 | 0.40 | 0.31 | 0.01 |
| Deaths in London | 1212 | 1202 | 1143 | 1247 | 1336 | 1554 | 1620 | 1664 | 1790 | 1617 | 1499 | 1546 | 1540 |
| Deaths in Whitechapel District | 41 | 32 | 42 | 39 | 44 | 50 | 51 | 61 | 66 | 56 | 44 | 56 | 46 |
| Deaths in ditto from Fever | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Water Supply.
Since my last quarterly report eight additional water-waste-preventers
have been erected in this District, and consequently there has been a considerable
diminution in the number of butts and cisterns. From the satisfaction
which these machines give to the poor I hope that the time is not far
distant when butts and cisterns in the poor localities will be entirely
abolished, and that water will be supplied to the poor on the constant
service, direct from the main.
Small-Pox.
During this quarter not a single case of small-pox has been attended by
the Medical Officers of the Union; and from the returns of mortality, as
given by the local Registrars, no death from this disease has been registered.