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 1879
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]
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7
On referring to the tables of the weekly returns of births and deaths
of the Registrar-General, it will be seen that whilst small-pox has become
less fatal, scarlet-fever has greatly increased in severity. Small-pox, as an
epidemic, has apparently passed away, as only 30 deaths, or rather more
than an average of 2 per week, have been recorded in London during this
Quarter; and no death from small-pox was recorded in the weeks ended
October 11th and November 15th, and only 1 in the weeks ended October
18th, November 1st, and November 22nd.
The deaths from scarlet-fever in London during this Quarter have
been 1165. This large mortality has called forth the following remark of
the Registrar-General, "that scarlet-fever is more fatal in London than it
has been since November, 1875; the Metropolitan Asylum Hospitals contained
290 scarlet-fever patients on Saturday last (against 257 and 259 at
the end of the two previous weeks), and 59 new cases were admitted during
the week."
Scarlet-fever appears, from the subjoined table, to be very fatal to
young persons; thus, out of a total of 55 deaths, 38, or 69 per cent.
occurred in children under 5 years of age.
Ages at death of persons who have died of scarlet-fever in the Whitechapel District during the six months ended 27th December, 1879.
| 0 and under 1 year | 2 |
| 1 year and under 2 years | 8 |
| 2 „ 3 „ | 12 |
| 3 „ 4 „ | 8 |
| 4 „ 5 „ | 8 |
| 5 „ 6 „ | 8 |
| 6 „ 7 „ | 1 |
| 7 „ 8 „ | 6 |
| 8 „ 9 „ | 1 |
| 9 „ 10 „ | 1 |
| Total | 55 |
During last year, the Registrar-General, in his return of deaths for
the week ended on Saturday, January 16th, 1880, states that in the year
1879, comprising fifty-two weeks, 454 deaths from small-pox were registered
in London, against 2544 and 1416 in the two preceding years. "The deathrate
from small-pox in London last year was equal to 126 per million of
the population, against an average annual rate of 410 per million in the
forty-two years, 1838-79. During the sixteen years, 1838-53, the deaihrate
from small-pox in London averaged 512 per million; whereas, in the
twenty-six years, 1854-79, since the first Compulsory Vaccination Act was
passed, the annual rate has not averaged more than 348 per million."