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 1903
Forty-eighth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Borough of Islington
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52
1903]
SMALL POX.
The average annual number of deaths for the previous eighteen years had been II, while in 1902 there had been 53, which was the greatest number registered since 1885, although before that date the numbers were at times very large.
| Years. | Deaths. | Years. | Deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | 125 | 1894 | 3 |
| 1886 | 3 | 1895 | 1 |
| 1887 | — | 1896 | 1 |
| 1888 | — | 1897 | 1 |
| 1889 | — | 1898 | — |
| 1890 | — | 1899 | — |
| 1891 | — | 1900 | 1 |
| 1892 | 3 | 1901 | 8 |
| 1893 | 2 | 1902 | 53 |
It is very gratifying to find that this terrible scourge has not visited us with
severity during the year, for at one time it seemed to be not at all improbable
that the epidemic which occurred in London during the latter part of 1901 and
1902 would recrudesce in 1903. Happily, however, we were spared such an
affliction.
MEASLES.
This disease which is so common among young children caused 120 deaths
as compared with 114 in the preceding year, 151 in 1901, and with a corrected
annual average of 196 in years 1885-1902. The death-rate was equal to 0.35
per 1,000 of the population, compared with a mean rate of 0.57 in the eighteen
preceding years.
The death-rate was also considerably less than that which obtained in the
Encircling Boroughs where it was 0.64 per 1,000. Indeed the mortality was
proportionately less in Islington than in any of the Encircling Boroughs except
Hornsey.
As usual the great secondary cause of the death of patients suffering from
Measles was Pneumonia to which it was ascribed in 86 cases, 42 males and 44
females. Bronchitis followed with 17 deaths. Year after year it has been
pointed out in these reports that such deaths are for the greater part entirely
preventable, if persons would only keep the little patients warm, and protect
them from cold and draughts. It is like flogging a dead horse to speak of these
matters, until the ears of the nurses can be reached so that they may be made