London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lewisham 1861
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]
This page requires JavaScript
25
extremely dangerous to passengers, and from their damp, miry state, they tend to make
the neighbourhood unhealthy.
A new street, leading from Hindsley's Place, Sydenham, to the Forest Hill Schools
'Chaplin Street), is unmade and undrained, although most of the houses on each side
of the street are inhabited.
The offensive drainage from a portion of Laurie Park, running at the back of Messrs.
Beale's and Danson's, is still unaltered and very offensive, and requires a remedy.
The drainage running from the Wells Road, &c., in an open ditch through the
grounds of Messrs. Schwartz and Mayow Adams, and at the back of the Dolphin Inn
and Mr. Ogilvie's, Lower Sydenham, is very offensive, and should be covered in.
A house occupied by Mr. Standen, Russell Street, has its drain blocked up, and is
without water supply.
Scarlet fever is prevalent in the district, and a few cases of this disease have occurred
in the North Surrey District School at Anerly.
Hooping cough is also prevalent in a minor degree.
Meteorological tables and tables of mortality arc 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. | |||||
| Nov. 30 | 29.696 | 57.8 | 26.0 | 44.5 | S.W. | 3 | 0.36 |
| Dec. 7 | 29.786 | 53.8 | 27.3 | 40.5 | S E. & S.W. | 3 | 0.74 |
| 14 | 29.685 | 53.3 | 39.5 | 48.1 | S.W. | 5 | 0.39 |
| 21 | 30.087 | 51.0 | 34.5 | 42.6 | N.W.&N.E. | 1 | 0.09 |
JANUARY.
| DISTRICTS. | BIRTHS. | DEATHS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. Total. | Males. | Females. Total. | |||
| Blackheath | 6 | 9 | 15 | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| Lewisham | 15 | 14 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Union Workhouse | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Sydenham | 20 | 19 | 39 | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| Penge | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| North Surrey School | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 45 | 44 | 89 | 26 | 26 | 52 |
Gentlemen,
During the four weeks ending upon the 22nd day of March, sixty-five births and
forty-six deaths have been registered.
The number of deaths, although above the average, is less than that registered for
the same month in 1860, when sixty-two deaths occurred.
Eleven deaths have taken place from zymotic disease.
Thus in Blackheath—
12th Mar. Malignant scarlet fever, Tranquil Vale,
In Lewisham—
25th Feb. Erysipelas, Price's Buildings.
19th ,, Malignant diptheria, Southend.
23rd „ Ditto, ditto.
24th „ Ditto, ditto.
28th ,, Diptheria, Church Terrace.
19th Mar. Diarrhoea, Union Workhouse.