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 1907
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1907
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98
years. The death-rate in East Battersea was .47; North-West
Battersea, .54 ; South-West Battersea, .15.
The London death-rate for measles was .38 per 1,000,
there being 1,801 deaths registered from this cause. It is
probable that these figures do not fully represent the total loss
of life due to this disease, many deaths being registered as due
to bronchitis and other respiratory diseases, which are common
complications and sequelae of measles, and which should more
properly have been registered as due to measles. Measles and
whooping cough caused more deaths in Battersea (viz., 134)
during 1907 than all the other notifiable infectious diseases put
together.
The number of deaths registered in each of the registration sub-districts in 1905, 1906 and 1907 was as follows:—
| 1907. | 1906. | 1905. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Battersea | 36 | 28 | 53 |
| North-West Battersea | 27 | 14 | 67 |
| South-West Battersea | 9 | 2 | 4 |
The variability of incidence in mortality during the last
three years is exemplified in the above figures.
Fifteen deaths were of infants under one year, and 54
of children aged one to five years, and only three deaths
occurred among children over five years of age.
The deaths in each of the four quarters of the year were as
follows:—
First quarter 4
Second quarter 17
Third quarter 35
Fourth quarter 16
Measles is usually looked upon as a trifling ailment, and
it is difficult to get parents to realise what a really formidable
disease it is, especially in the case of very young children. It