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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The death-rate, case-rate, and case-mortality in the Borough and in the sub-districts are as follows :—
| Case-rate per 1, 000 population. | Death-rate per 1,000 population. | Case-mortality per cent. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Battersea | 0.18 | 0.03 | 21.3 |
| North-West Battersea | 0.26 | 0.02 | 7.6 |
| South-West Battersea | 0.17 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
| The Borough | 0.2 | 0.02 | 10.8 |
The influence of environment as regards the incidence of,
and mortality from, typhoid, is well shown by the above figures,
the two first-mentioned districts being the more congested and
less sanitary of the three registration sub-districts of the
Borough.
In the County of London the case-rate was 0.29, and the
death-rate 0.04 per 1,000.
Of the 29 typhoid-infected houses, 11 (i.e., 38 per cent.)
showed on inspection defective drains, traps, fittings, or
appliances. In 8 houses (i.e., 27 per cent.) the drains themselves
were found to be defective.
The source of infection in 5 cases was, there was reason to
believe, due to the consumption of shell fish. Two cases were
infected outside the Borough ; and in 5 cases, occurring in one
house, there was a strong suspicion that the defective condition
of the drains was responsible for the outbreak. A rather
curious and interesting outbreak, which occurred in August,
while I was absent on my annual holiday, and necessitating my
return, was that which arose in the neighbourhood of Lavender
Hill.