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
Plumstead 1897
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health, 1897
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2
2. I have corrected Table VI. by means of the population
found at the last Census back to 1892, so that it is now as
correct as it can be made.
Births.
3. The birth-rate 32.3 was slightly lower than last year,
and lower than any previous year recorded except 1895. In
West Plumstead it decreased from 29.0 to 27.7, but in East
Plumstead it decreased only from 34.1 to 34 0.
Deaths.
4. The death-rate 13.6 was lower than in any year since
1885, with the exception of 1894, when it was 12.9.
Table A.
| Year. | 1889 | 1890 | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths from Influenza.. | 0 | 9 | 44 | 27 | 35 | 7 | 17 | 9 | 9 |
| „ Bronchitis and Pneumonia | 93 | 136 | 207 | 176 | 204 | 124 | 166 | 138 | 126 |
| ,, Phthisis | 69 | 95 | 114 | 100 | 111 | 70 | 96 | 81 | 96 |
| Total | 162 | 240 | 365 | 303 | 350 | 201 | 279 | 228 | 231 |
| Total deaths, all causes | 759 | 923 | 920 | 849 | 994 | 736 | 930 | 931 | 835 |
Table A shows that Influenza did not greatly affect the
death-rate last year. The temperature of the first quarter of
the year was above the average, as was also that of the fourth
quarter.
The deaths from Bronchitis and Pneumonia were below the
average. All the zymotic diseases with the exception of
Diarrhoea were below the average. On the other hand the
Summer was warm, and Diarrhoea was in excess.