London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Shoreditch 1897

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch, Parish of St. Leonard]

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74
Various forms of violence resulted in 105 deaths, of which 96 were due to
accident or negligence, 1 to homicide, and 8 to suicide.
Cancer was certified as causing the death of 62 persons, as compared with
57 in 1896, 62 in 1895, 80 in 1894, and 67 in 1893, the death rate being 0.51 per
1,000, as against 0.45 in 1896, 0.50 in 1895, 0.65 in 1894, and 0.54 in 1893. The
deaths due to cancer registered in the metropolis during 1897 give an annual rate of
0.88 per thousand inhabitants. In addition to the 62 deaths certified as due to
cancer, 13 deaths were registered from malignant disease of the various organs of the
body, and 5 from tumours. Of the deaths attributed to cancer, 20 were of males and
42 of females. The majority of the deaths occurred amongst persons aged between
35 and 70 years. Of persons over the age of 70 years 11 deaths were attributed to
this cause. One child, a female, died from cancer of the kidneys, at the age of six
years, and one old lady from cancer of the breast, at 86 years of age.
Alcoholism is given as the cause of death in 16 instances, but the majority of the
deaths from cirrhosis of the liver and other liver diseases, and from Bright's disease
of the kidneys, and a large percentage of the deaths from apoplexy and insanity, from
diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and from diseases of the respiratory organs
may be directly or indirectly attributable to the abuse of alcohol.
The numbers and distribution of the deaths of residents and non-residents
occurring during the year 1897 in the public institutions situate within the parish
are shewn in

TABLE VIII.

Institution.Residents.Non-residents.Total.
Holborn Union Workhouse0226226
Shoreditch Workhouse37011381
Hoxton House Asylum35154
North Eastern Hospital2787114
Convent Hospital178
Total401382783

Elsewhere than in the above institutions, 6 persons died in Shoreditch who were
not resident in the parish, viz.:—1 suddenly in the Curtain Road from syncope, 1 in
Lee Street from rupture of an aneurism, and 1 in Shepherdess Walk from heart
disease, and 3 were drowned in the Regent's Canal.
In the following table are set forth the various public institutions outside
Shoreditch, and the numbers of persons belonging to the parish dying therein:—