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
Islington 1893
Thirty-eighth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Parish of St. Mary, Islington
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58
It is pre-eminently a disease of middle and old age, for while only
13 deaths occurred among persons below the age of 25, 143 took place
among those above it.
The following table shows the ages at death :—
| Ages. | Deaths. | Ages. | Deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below 25 years | 13 | 65-75 | 69 |
| 25-35 | 21 | 75-85 | 24 |
| 35-45 | 56 | 85-95 | 2 |
| 45-55 | 53 | 95 and upwards | 0 |
In Upper Holloway it was the registered cause of 76 deaths, in
Islington South West of 73 deaths, in Islington South East of 48 deaths,
and in Highbury of 41 deaths.
The number of deaths in each quarter varied very little, although
they were slightly in excess in that ending September. The figures
given in order where 58, 53, 68, and 59.
In the following table are given the death-rates from this disease in Islington, in England, and in London since 1861:—
| Periods. | England. | London. | Islington. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1861-70 | 0.39 | 0.49 | 0.40 |
| 1871-80 | 0.47 | 0.55 | 0.48 |
| 1881-85 | 0.55 | — | 0.51 |
| 1886-90 | 0.63 | — | 0.61 |
| 1891 | 0.69 | — | 0.68 |
| 1892 | 0.69 | — | 0.67 |
| 1893 | — | — | 0.71 |
THE NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the 52 weeks of the year 4,851 separate cases of infectious
diseases were notified under the compulsory notification clauses of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891. This is an increase of 1,542 cases, or
46.5 per cent. on the return of the preceding year, and an increase of
2,837 or 1408 per cent. on that of 1891.
The gravity of these figures cannot be denied, for they indicate
not only a very considerable increase of sickness from infectious diseases