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 1863
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]
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11
An inquest was held upon the skeleton of an infant, supposed to have been about two
months old, found at the back of a fence in Laurie Park.
An innucst was also held upon the body of a man named Cburcher, who was supposed
to have died of want; vcrdict—" Death from natural causes."
Epidemic disease still continues prevalent.
Diarrtoea has been more than ordinarily severe in character.
Cases of smallpox exist in two families in West Kent Park.
A severe case of typhus fovcr has occurred in a child admitted but a few days before
into the "North Surrey School" at Anerlcy.
The roads upon the left side of Loampit Vale, Lewisham, arc still in a dirty and unhealthy
condition and require some attention before the winter sets in.
Meteorological tables and tables of mortality arc appended as usual.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
| Week ending | Weight of Air. Barometer corrected. Mean inches. | TEMPERATURE OF AlR. Thermometer. | Prevailing winds. | Rainy days. | Amount of rain in inches. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest. | Lowest. | Mean of daily readings. | |||||
| May 2 | 29.909 | 68.0 | 31.4 | 47.8 | N.W.&N.E. | 2 | 0.18 |
| 9 | 29.869 | 72.9 | 35.9 | 53.2 | N.E. | 0 | 0.00 |
| 16 | 29.693 | 64.5 | 42.2 | 52.8 | S.W. | 6 | 0.50 |
| 23 | 29.813 | 66.5 | 35.7 | 48.3 | N.E. | 3 | 0.73 |
JUNE.
| DISTRICTS. | BIRTHS. | DEATHS. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | Males. | Females. | Total. | |
| Blackheath | 9 | 9 | 18 | - | 2 | 2 |
| Lewisham | 13 | 8 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Union Workhouse | _ | _ | - | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Sydenham | 20 | 18 | 38 | 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Penge | 7 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| N. S. D. School | — | 1 | — | 1 | ||
| Total | 49 | 40 | 89 | 12 | 19 | 31 |
Gentlemen,
Since my report for last month, a great improvement has taken place in the health of
the district, and although epidemic disease prevails in a minor degree, still only five
deaths have been registered as occurring from that cause.
A case of typhus fever imported from Croydon into the North Surrey District school
has spread to another child in that establishment. ,
The opthalmia which has been cndemic in that institution has very much dec decined
in intensity.
Thirty deaths have taken place in the district during the past four weeks. During
the same period last year 38 deaths took place. .
Four deaths have taken place from consumption of the lungs; two from information
of the lungs; five in the under-mentioned localities from zymotic disease, thus .
Measles, Paxton Park, Sydenham.
Whooping cough, West Kent Park, Sydenham.
Fever, Palace Square, Penge.
Scarlet fever, Penge Village.
Diarrhoea, Essex place, Blackheath.