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 seasonal mortality from the different important zymotic diseases is well shown by arranging the deaths quarterly, thus:—

The seasonal mortality from the different important zymotic diseases is well shown by arranging the deaths quarterly, thus:—

Quarter No.Small-pox.Measles.Whooping Cough.Scarlet Fever.Diphtheria.Fever.Diarrhoea.Erysipelas.Puerperal Fever.Cholera.Influenza.Total.
Typhus.Typhoid.Continued.
1_141437_2_1211_2282
2—241764—1—712—769
3—2364—2—53—1——71
4—7537—2—1731—449
Year—47392422—7—8955—33271

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Drains and sanitary fittings are tested as a routine in all
infected houses in cases of diphtheria, enteric and puerperal fevers,
and in the case of other diseases in such instances as may be found
necessary. It should, of course, be remembered that where
defects are found, it does not follow that such defects are the
cause of the disease. They may, however, indirectly be so.
The tests used are the ordinary smoke test and chemical test
(Kingzett's). When a positive result is obtained, the drain
(tested) is defective ; but when a negative result is obtained, it
would be unsafe to assume that therefore the drain (tested) was
sound. A negative result proves nothing. The only reliable tests
are the hydraulic (water) and the pneumatic (air) tests ; but these
are considered too severe for the routine testing of drains of old
buildings.