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 1908

Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1908

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Table: The number of deaths from Phthisis and other Tubercular diseases, and the death rate per 1,000 of the population in each of the sub-districts and the Borough, is set out in the following table:—

The number of deaths from Phthisis and other Tubercular diseases, and the death rate per 1,000 of the population in each of the sub-districts and the Borough, is set out in the following table:—

District.Phthisis.Other Tubercular Diseases.Total.
No. of Deaths.Rate.No. of Deaths.Rate.No. of Deaths.Rate.
East Battersea1081.41380.491461. 91
Nth.-West Battersea611.23330.66941.90
Sth.-West Battersea510.87150.25661.13
The Borough2201.19860.463061.66

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The deaths from Tuberculosis were 13.4 per cent. of the total
deaths, and the disease caused a higher mortality than all the
Zymotic diseases put together. It should be noted, however, that
the death rate from Phthisis (the most common form of Tuberculous
disease) was, in 1908, 1.19, or 0.01 lower than in 1907, and
0.03 lower than in 1906.
While it is satisfactory to note that there is a slight improvement
in the mortality figures from Tuberculosis in Battersea, it
cannot be said that much progress has been made in checking the
spread of the disease in Battersea in recent years.
The reasons for this are not far to seek, as, in the absence of
some satisfactory system of notification, it was impossible to
ascertain except in a small number of cases reported to us by
philanthropic bodies working in the Borough, and by the Sanitary