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
Lewisham 1859
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]
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METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
| Week ending. | Weight of air. Barometer corrected. Mean inches. | Temperature of Air. Thermometer. | Prevailing winds. | Rainy days. | Amount of rain in inches. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest. | Lowest. | Mean of daily readings. | |||||
| July 30 | 29.909 | 85.0 | 46.5 | 67.0 | S.W. | 1 | 0.03 |
| Aug. 6 | 29.803 | 80.0 | 48.9 | 63.8 | S.W. | 3 | 013 |
| 13 | 29.796 | 81.0 | 51.5 | 63.9 | S.W. | 3 | 0.28 |
| 20 | 29.902 | 85.0 | 47.5 | 63.9 | Variable | 2 | 0.22 |
SEPTEMBER.
| DISTRICTS. | BIRTHS. | DEATHS. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | Males. | Females. | Total. | |
| Blackheath | 8 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
| Lewisham | 11 | 7 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| Union Workhouse | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Sydenham | 16 | 20 | 36 | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| Penge | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 | 2 |
| Watermen's Asylum | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Total | 36 | 30 | 66 | 22 | 20 | 42 |
Gentlemen,
Notwithstanding the rapid changes of temperature and weight of air (as shown in
the accompanying tables), I am happy to be able to report upon this as not being an
unhealthy month.
Thirty.one deaths have occurred, which is under the average number for the last four
years.
Although the cold has been for some days below freezing, the temperature has not
remained in a depressed state sufficiently long to have produced its usual fatal effects
upon the aged.
In the the Blackheath Ward only one death is registered during the month.
Scarlatina has been very prevalent during the month; two cases of smallpox have
also occurred, but no death has taken place from this latter disease.
A family of the name of Lester, Hanover Street, Sydenham, have all been suffering
from fever; the offensive smell arising in this house has been complained of several
times.
The deaths occurring from epidemic disease are as under :—
Lewisham—
2nd Nov., Typhus fever, Union Workhouse.
10th Nov., Hooping cough, Lady Well.
17th Nov., Diarrhoea, Stratford Place.
Sydenham—
21st Oct., Scarlet fever, Greyhound Inn.
20th Oct., Bilious fever, Upper Sydenham
23rd Oct., Scarlet fever, Bath Place.
23rd Oct., Scarlet fever, Willow Road.
26th Oct., Scarlet fever, Willow Road.
29th Oct., Scarlet fever, Willow Road.
The state of the drainage in Willow Road, in my opinion, is very unsatisfactory;
although a main sewer is in the road few houses use it. It has been my duty repeatedly
to call your attention to diseases in this locality evidently taking their origin from some
local miasm; and, in this month's report, again three deaths from scarlet fever are
recorded.