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 1860
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]
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15
river contains a large amount of sewage from the Crystal Palace and a large number of
houses, with also an evident contamination with gas refuse from the works at Bell
Green. I examined the water again yesterday, and, although an unusual quantity of
water was running, it was decidedly unfit for use in any way.
A well should be dug to supply the houses, or some other means adopted to relieve
the number of persons resident here.
The closets also require more frequent emptying.
A large number of houses situated in Anerly Vale, at the back of the Rising Sun Inn,
are insufficiently drained, and require attention. The well at No. 34 contains sewage,
and is unfit for use.
Sewage, of the most offensive description, has been running by the side of the road at
the south end of the Crystal Palace. The Company should be compelled to drain.
Meteorological tables and tables of mortality are appended as usual.
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 28 | 29.685 | 69.5 | 42.8 | 55.6 | Variable. | 4 | 0.80 |
| Aug. 4 | 29.752 | 71.2 | 51.1 | 59.9 | W. | 5 | 1.17 |
| 11 | 29.534 | 69.6 | 45.5 | 56.3 | S.W. | 4 | 101 |
| 18 | 29.477 | 70.8 | 48.8 | 57.8 | N.W. & S.W. | 7 | 0.50 |
| 25 | 29.636 | 70.7 | 47.4 | 575 | W. | 6 | 1.30 |
| DISTRICTS. | BIRTHS. | DEATHS. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | Males, | Females. | Total. | |
| Blackheath | ||||||
| Lewisham | ||||||
| Union Workhouse | - | — | — | — | ||
| Sydenham | ||||||
| Penge | ||||||
| Total 37 | ||||||
Gentlemen,
Calculating for increase of population, the mortality of the district has been below the
average.
The health of the district during the past four weeks has, as usual at this time of the
year, borne a favourable aspect.
Seventy.six births and thirty.four deaths have been registered during the month.
Of the deaths, two have occurred from inflammation of the air passages, seven from
consumption of the lungs, and six from zymotic disease. The localities in which the
latter have occurred are enumerated below, thus—
25th Aug. Measles, Camden Cottages, Blackheath.
1st Sept. Typhoid fever, Dartmouth Place, Blackheath.
18th „ Ditto, Osborne Cottages, Blackheath.
23rd Aug. Ditto, Orchard Place, Sydenham.
30th „ Ditto, Verey's Cottages, Sydenham.
15th Sept. Scarlatina, Blythe Hill, Sydenham.
None of the above diseases are, however, prevalent at the present time.