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
Finsbury 1909
Report on the public health of Finsbury 1909 including annual report on factories and workshops
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68
MEASLES AND HOOPING COUGH.
Measles caused 86 deaths, hooping cough 51 deaths in 1909.
These two diseases are most fatal to children under 5 years, as
may be seen from the accompanying table:—
| Year. | Measles. | Hooping Cough. | Small Pox. | Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | Enteric Fever. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 45 | 37 | — | 11 | 24 | - |
| 1902 | 79 | 70 | 11 | 11 | 28 | — |
| 1903 | 67 | 47 | — | 6 | 6 | — |
| 1904 | 57 | 26 | 2 | 11 | 13 | — |
| 1905 | 30 | 31 | — | 14 | 9 | — |
| 1906 | 111 | 53 | — | 8 | 22 | — |
| 1907 | 43 | 43 | — | 11 | 15 | — |
| 1908 | 36 | 20 | — | 9 | 12 | — |
| 1909 | 86 | 51 | — | 9 | 13 | 1 |
| Totals | 554 | 378 | 13 | 90 | 142 | 1 |
From this table it appears that amongst children under 5 years
of age, measles kills more than twice, and hooping cough more
than one and a half times the number of children whose deaths
are caused by small-pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria and typhoid
fever all added together. And yet the average British matron
is inclined to treat measles with an indifference which is almost
stupefying, or as a disease whose advent in the house should be
welcomed and even encouraged and whose arrival should be
notified to the neighbours so that they too may negotiate its
successful acquisition for their own children.
The Measles deaths occurred chiefly in Cyrus Street, Easton
Street, Mason's Place, Risinghill Street, Bartholomew Square,