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
Shoreditch 1894
Annual report on the health, sanitary condition, etc., etc., of the Parish of Saint Leonard, Shoreditch for the year 1894
This page requires JavaScript
18
against 5383 in 1893. Diseases of the respiratory system, (bronchitis, pneumonia,
pleurisy, and other diseases, except consumption), caused 1092 persons to seek treatment
as compared with 1495 last year. There were 740 cases classed as zymotic
diseases treated, as against 909 in 1893, and 249 cases of rheumatic affections as
against 360 last year. Of the diseases classed as zymotic, the cases of phthisis
numbered 206, a slight increase on the number of last year; the cases of diarrhoea
numbered 100, a very great diminution, the number in 1893 being 180. Influenza
shows a slight increase, but there is a marked diminution in the number of cases of
measles, scarlet fever, whooping cough, continued fever, and erysipelas. Gout
appears to have been somewhat more prevalent during the past year, and diseases of
the skin very much less prevalent. Cancer shews an increase of four cases, the
number being 27 as compared with 23 last year.
DISINFECTION.
The work of the disinfecting officers has not been so heavy this year, owing
to the diminished prevalence of infectious disease; there were 451 premises less than
last year disinfected.
The following table shows the number of premises and articles disinfected during the year. The figures for 1891, 1892 and 1893 being placed alongside for comparison.
TABLE XVI.
| 1891. | 1892. | 1893. | 1894. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Premises | 816 | 1,027 | 1,363 | 912 |
| Total number of Articles | 9,630 | 10,867 | 11,829 | 11,035 |
| Number of Beds | 833 | 1,157 | 1,313 | 843 |
| ,, Pillows | 1,602 | 1,801 | 2,186 | 1,522 |
| ,, Palliasses | 568 | 545 | 645 | 647 |
| ,, Bolsters | 504 | 559 | 767 | 549 |
| ,, Other Articles | 6,123 | 6,758 | 6,918 | 7,474 |
In addition to those disinfected, 29 beds, 42 palliasses, 4 bolsters, 13 pillows, and
two squabs were destroyed and replaced with new ones. A little over 11,000 articles
passed through the disinfecting apparatus, and no damage to any of them has been
reported by the disinfecting officer; no complaint has been made to me as to any
damage caused during the fumigation and disinfection of any of the 912 premises
dealt with. The disinfecting officers are provided with specially constructed receptacles
for burning the sulphur in, to produce the sulphurous acid gas for fumigation. This
receptacle consists of a circular iron cup about eight inches in diameter, and two
inches in depth, mounted on three short iron legs, which are rivetted below to a shallow
circular iron tray about 1½ feet in diameter, into which water is placed when in use.
It is very safe, cannot be upset, and any sulphur that may bubble over falls into the
water in the tray, thus reducing to a minimum the risk of setting fire to a room.