London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Islington 1898
Forty-third annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Parish of St. Mary, Islington
This page requires JavaScript
38
1898]
Table XX.
| Weeks of Quarter. | Mean Air Temperature. | Earth Temperature At 3 feet. | Rainfall in inches. | Diarrhœl Deaths. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897. | 1898. | Difference between 1897 and 1898. | 1897. | 1898. | Difference between 1897 and 1898. | 1897. | 1898. | 1897. | 1898. | Difference. | |
| July 1 | 61.5 | 60.0 | — 1.5 | 61.89 | 58.89 | — 3.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 2 | — | — 2 |
| ,, 2 | 68.5 | 61.9 | — 6.6 | 63.12 | 58.95 | — 4.17 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 3 | 1 | — 2 |
| „ 3 | 66.9 | 62.8 | — 4.1 | 61.75 | 60.71 | — 4.04 | 0.25 | 0.45 | 7 | 2 | — 5 |
| ,, 4 | 64.6 | 61.0 | — 3.6 | 64.65 | 61.49 | — 2.16 | 0.47 | 0.72 | 15 | 2 | — 13 |
| 64.6 | 61.4 | — 3.2 | 63.60 | 60.01 | — 3.59 | 0.74 | 1.19 | 87 | 5 | — 22 | |
| Aug. 5 | 68.1 | 63.8 | — 4.3 | 64.45 | 61.11 | — 3.34 | O.08 | 0.06 | 17 | 5 | - 12 |
| 6 | 63.6 | 61.9 | — 1.7 | 65.63 | 60.92 | — 3.71 | O.74 | 0.56 | 36 | 14 | — 22 |
| „ 7 „ 8 | 62.0 69.6 | 69.5 65.4 | + 7.5 + 5.8 | 64.29 62.74 | 63.43 64.80 | — 0.86 + 1.06 | 0.47 0.68 | 0.03 0.14 | 39 20 | 23 37 | — 16 + 17 |
| 63.3 | 65.1 | + 1.8 | 64.28 | 62.56 | — 1.62 | 1.97 | 0.79 | 112 | 79 | — 33 | |
| Sept. 9 | 56.8 | 61.1 | 61.54 | 63.28 | + 1.64 | 1.22 | 0.08 | 9 | 39 | + 30 | |
| „ 10 | 54.2 | 70 .4 | +16.2 | 59.39 | 63.74 | + 3.35 | 0.68 | 0.00 | 1 | 34 | + 33 |
| ,, 11 | 54.6 | 66.4 | +11.8 | 58.55 | 64.65 | + 6.10 | O.38 | 0. 02 | 3 | 26 | + 23 |
| „ 12 | 55.4 | 57.2 | + 1.8 | 57.55 | 63.57 | + 6.02 | 0.12 | 0.12 | 2 | 26 | +24 |
| „ 13 | 56.5 | 52.9 | — 3.6 | 58.01 | 60.76 | + 2.75 | 1.21 | 0.16 | 2 | 29 | + 27 |
| 55.05 | 61.6 | + 6.1 | 59.01 | 17 | 154 | +137 | |||||
An examination of the earth temperatures, which is a prime factor
in the causation of Diarrhcea, shows similar effects to those noticed
with respect to the air temperatures. This year, owing to the fact
that there wag more rain in the earlier weeks than in the corresponding
periods of 1897, the earth did not get warm so quickly, and the
mortality was held in check; but when these conditions were reversed
in the later part of the quarter, its greater dryness and greater warmth
quickly promoted a markedly increased mortality.
The chief factors in the causation of Diarrhcea have been laid down
in an opxis memorabil'e by Islington's first Medical Officers of
Health, Dr. Edward Ballard, to be (1) temperature of the earth at 4 ft.
deep above 56° Fab.; (2) high atmospheric temperature; (3) a loose
soil permeable more or less freely by water and by air; (4) organic
matter in the soil; (5) moisture or dryness of the soil; (6) density of
population ; (7) density of buildings upon area ; (8) restriction of and
impediments to the free circulation of air, either (a.) about dwellings or
(b) within dwellings; (9) domestic darkness and general dirtiness of