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
Battersea 1904
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1904
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TABLE XIX.
| Situation. | Males. | Females. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mouth and Jaw | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Larynx | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Stomach and (Esophagus | 22 | 4 | 26 |
| Liver | 9 | 16 | 25 |
| Bowels | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| Rectum | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| Bladder | 4 | — | 4 |
| Breast | — | 22 | 22 |
| Uterus | — | 19 | 19 |
| Abdomen | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| Other situations | 11 | 6 | 17 |
| Totals | 71 | 93 | 164 |
Alcoholism.
Sixteen deaths were returned as due to acute and chronic
alcoholism, 13 of the cases being males, and 3 females. 15
deaths (males 6, females 9) were due to cirrhosis of the liver,
a disease which, in practically every case, is caused by alcohol.
This gives a total of 31 cases in which alcohol was the cause
of death, as against 38 in 1903, but there is no doubt that
this number greatly understates the real mortality from
alcoholism. Deaths really due to this cause are usually
certified under less invidious headings such as apoplexy,
Bright's disease, heart disease, etc.
The mortality from alcohol cannot, therefore, be even
approximately estimated from the death returns.