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
Chelsea 1895
Annual report for 1895 of the Medical Officer of Health
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Section II.
THE NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Small-Pox.—In Chelsea 4 cases of this disease were notified in
1895, as occurring amongst Chelsea parishioners. Three of these cases
occurred in the home district, and one in Kensal Town. In 1894 there
were 12 cases of small-pox in Chelsea; in 1893 there were 29 cases;
and in 1892 four cases. In London, during 1895, 1,076 cases of smallpox
were notified, as against 1,391 cases in 1894, 2,933 cases in 1893,
and 436 cases in 1892. There was very little small-pox—only 46 cases—
in 1895, in the 8 parishes which form the western district of London.
SCARLET FEVER, DIPHTHERIA, AND ENTERIC FEVER.
Table VIII. shows the comparative prevalence of these diseases in
London, and in the western districts of London, during 1894 and 1895.
Table VIII.—Notifications in 1894 and 1895 per 10,000 of Population (1891 census).
| Small-pox. | Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | Enteric Fever. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *London | 1894 | 1895 | 1894 | 1895 | 1894 | 1895 | 1894 | 1895 |
| 3.30 | 2.55 | 45.0 | 49.0 | 26.4 | 27.1 | 8.41 | 8.81 | |
| Chelsea | 1.25 | 0.42 | 32.8 | 64.7 | 25.2 | 34.5 | 9.87 | 7.90 |
| Kensington | 1.08 | 0.48 | 23.4 | 31.6 | 16.1 | 21.9 | 5.41 | 5.95 |
| * Fulham | 5.02 | 0.22 | 59.7 | 38.5 | 36.3 | 42.4 | 4.58 | 7.09 |
| * Hammersmith | 0.82 | 0.82 | 34.7 | 40.2 | 19.1 | 21.0 | 5.86 | 6.07 |
| * Paddington | 2.55 | 1.10 | 25.6 | 37.4 | 33.4 | 20.9 | 6.36 | 6.19 |
| * St. George's, Hanover Square | 1.53 | 0.51 | 3.43 | 41.7 | 14.8 | 14.5 | 9.44 | 5.23 |
| * Westminster | 0.18 | 1.08 | 2.66 | 33.6 | 14.6 | 20.1 | 8.46 | 5.03 |
| * St. James's | 1.60 | 0.40 | 26.0 | 37.6 | 15.2 | 19.6 | .10.00 | 5.60 |
*Uncorrected for dual notification.
The most noticeable feature of the past year is the greatly increased
prevalence of scarlet fever in Chelsea, as compared with 1894. The
amount of scarlet fever in Chelsea in 1895 was even in excess of that
which prevailed in 1893, when the notifications of this disease in London
generally were double the number of those received in the past year.
It will also be seen from Table VIII. that Chelsea was the only western
district which suffered in 1895 from an excess of scarlet fever. All the
other seven west-end parishes, without an exception, show a figure considerably
below that of the Metropolis, whereas Chelsea's figure is over
30 per cent, in excess of that characterising London generally.