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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53
[1903
to understand the matter fully. The extraordinary thing is that although so
many children die annually from Measles great numbers of the people still look
on the disease as of no consequence. (Vide Table XXXVI).
The deaths from Measles in the borough during the several quinquennial periods since 1856, were as follows:—
| Quinquennia. | Deaths. | Annual Aver. No. of Deaths. | Quinquennia. | Deaths. | Annual Aver. No. of Deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856-60 | 424 | 85 | 1881-85 | 898 | 179 |
| 1861-65 | 457 | 91 | 1886-90 | 924 | 185 |
| 1866-70 | 514 | 103 | 1891-95 | 856 | 171 |
| 1871-75 | 633 | 127 | 1896-00 | 1024 | 245 |
| 1876-80 | 629 | 126 | 1901-03 (3 years) | 385 | 128 |
The mortality was very unevenly spread over the year, for whereas there
were as many as 35 and 64 deaths respectively in the first and second quarters,
there were only 17 and 4 in the third and fourth quarters. As a rule only 38
per cent. of these deaths from Measles occur in the second quarters of the year,
whereas over 54 per cent. were registered in 1903. Again 18 per cent. usually
are entered in the fourth quarter, whereas only slightly over 3 per cent. were
noted. It is not possible to ascribe any cause for these changes, and they are
merely mentioned as a matter of interest.
The average percentages of deaths in the several quarters during eighteen years and in 1903, were as follows:—
| 1885-1902. | 1903. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarters | 31 per cent. | 29 per cent. |
| 2nd „ | 38 „ | 54 „ |
| 3rd „ | 13 „ | 14 „ |
| 4th „ | 18 „ | 3 „ |
| 100 | 100 „ |
Owing to the excessive prevalence of the disease in certain schools, it
became necessary to close one or more class-rooms in the infant departments
of the following schools:—
York Road Board School. St. John's Schools, Duncan Street.
Hungerford Road Board School. St. John's Schools, Conewood Street.
Westbourne Road Board School. St. Mary's Schools.
Pakeman Street Board School. Montem Street Board School.
Wesleyan Schools, Drayton Park. Yerbury Road Board School.
Duncombe Road Board School. Richard Street Board School.
St. James' Schools, George's Road. Vittoria Place Board School.
Holy Trinity Schools, Cloudesley Queen's Head Board School.
Street.