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
Kensington 1902
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the four weeks, August 10th to September 6th, 1902...
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155
Eighty-nine cases occurred in North Kensington (population
91,500), which comprises four Wards, and only 17 in the five Wards
comprised in South Kensington (population 86,000).
The incidence of the disease upon streets and houses is exhibited in
Table E (pages 167-168). In 58 instances there was but one case to a
house, in 7 instances two cases, in 4 instances three cases, in 4
instances four cases. In a single instance there were six cases in a
house.
The cases comprised 61 of males and 45 of females; the ages of the patients are set out in the following table, which also shows the number of deaths (including three of non-parishioners) at different age-periods:—
| Age-period. | Notifications. | Deaths. |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1-5 | 1 | – |
| 5-10 | 4 | – |
| 10-20 | 24 | 3 |
| 20-40 | 56 | 4 |
| 40-60 | 16 | 3 |
| 60 and upwards | 3 | 1 |
| Totals | 106 | 12 |
Table F (page 169) shows particulars of the fatal cases, of which
8 belong to North Kensington and 4 to South Kensington.
The subjoined table shows that, with few exceptions, the patients
belonged to the poorer classes, who are not characterised by overmuch
belief in the efficacy of vaccination, nor, as a rule, by willingness
to accept re-vaccination, as an ordinary measure of precaution, in the
absence of imminent danger.
Occupations of the persons attacked by small-pox in Kensington in 52 weeks, 11th August, 1901, to 9th August, 1902—
| Labourers, carmen, hawkers | 40 |
| Artisans | 26 |
| Shop-keepers and assistants | 16 |
| Laundry women and ironers | 6* |
| Lodging-house keeper | 1 |
| Domestic servants | 5 |
| Clerks | 4 |
| Postman | 1 |
| Omnibus proprietor | 1 |
| "Auctioneer" (Common Lodging-house case) | 1 |
| Unknown (3) None (2) | 5 |
| Total | 106 |
* Five of these were secondary cases, the origin of one case only, is unknown.