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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18
from this cause during the month, one of which occurred in a man aged 54 years who
had never been vaccinated.
Influenza and whooping cough arc still prevalent.
Cases of scarlet fever have occurred, but no deaths have taken place from this cause.
The epidemic of measles has affected a great number of children as well as grown-up
persons, but has much diminished in severity.
The road at the corner of Park End is a swamp of considerable extent, and is prejudicial
to health; a gully here would remove all difficulty upon the subject.
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. | |||||
| Oct. 31 | 29.521 | 56.2 | 34.7 | 45.7 | S.W. | 3 | 0.47 |
| Nov. 7 | 29.731 | 60.8 | 34.3 | 47.3 | S.W. | 7 | 0.86 |
| 14 | 29.791 | 53.3 | 28.1 | 41.6 | S.W. | 2 | 0.33 |
| 21 | 29.967 | 53.7 | 39.4 | 48.6 | S.W. | 1 | 0.13 |
FEBRUARY.
DISTRICTS.
BIRTHS.
DEATHS.
Males.
Females.
Total.
Males.
Females.
Total.
Blackheath
4
5
9
Lewisham
10
7
17
6
5
11
Union Workhouse
1
3
4
Sydenham
26
20
46
8
11
19
Penge
Total
46
41
87
24
30
54
Gentlemen,
During the four weeks which have elapsed since my last report, 43 deaths have taken
place in the district. The mortality is in excess of that usually registered for this
month, but not so when taking into consideration the increase of population.
Ten deaths have been registered amongst those above 70 years of age, and 10 in those
under two years. The deaths of seven persons are attributed to epidemic disease, thus:
In Lewisham—
Influenza, Southend.
Measles, St. German's Villas, Lewisham.
In Sydenham—
Measles, Bell Green,
Diptheria, Railway Cottages.
Whooping cough, Wells ltoad.
Fever, Lower Sydenham.
Diarrhoea, Lower Sydenham.
Six deaths have taken place from inflammatory affections of the lungs, and one from
consumption of the lungs.