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
Lambeth 1899
Report on the vital and sanitary statistics of the Parish of Lambeth during the year 1899
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33
In the case of each infected house, an inspection was
made, and the drains and sanitary fittings tested, with the
results that of the 2435 infected houses:—
(a) 384 (i.e., 15.8 %) were found to have defective drains.
(b) 1163 (i.e, 47.8%) were found to have defective
drains, or defective traps, fittings and appliances.
(c) 1272 (i.e., 52.2%) gave no results with the tests.
(d) 779 (i.e., 31.9%) were found to have defective traps,
fitting's and aDuliances, but not defective drains.
Sub-divided according to the different notifiable diseases, the results are as follows :—
| Diesase. | No. of Infected Houses. | Numbers shewing Defects as to | Percentage shewing Total Delects. | Percentage giving no Defects. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drains. | Traps, Fit-lings and Appliance. | Total. | ||||
| Smallpox | 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Cholera* | 3 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Diphtheria | 964 | 146 | 331 | 477 | 49.5 | 50.5 |
| Membranous Croup | 19 | 4 | 4 | 21.1 | 78.9 | |
| Erysipelas | 319 | 39 | 120 | 159 | 49.8 | 50.2 |
| Scarlet Fever | 888 | 162 | 248 | 410 | 48.2 | 53.8 |
| Typhus | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | l00.0 | 0.0 |
| Typhoid | 209 | 30 | 66 | 102 | 48.8 | 51.2 |
| ( Continued or Relapsing | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 57.1 | 42.9 |
| Puerperal | 24 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 41.7 | 58.3 |
| Totals | 2435 | 384 | 779 | 1163 | 47.8 | 52.2 |
*These were in all probability cases of Diarrhoea or Cholera Nostras.
It will be noted that only 15.8% of the total infected
houses shewed, with the test, defective drains, no results
being obtained from the test in the other cases, and 319%
defective traps, fittings and appliances.
Table M gives the average percentages for the last 8
years (i.e., practically from the introduction of the Notification
Act), and it will be noted with satisfaction, in regard
to infected houses in Lambeth, that the year 1899 is 4.8%
below the average in respect of defective drains, and 0 6%
below the average in respect of defective traps, fittings,
drains and appliances. These percentages are becoming less
and less as time goes on, for each year sees many drains
reconstructed, partly or wholly (vide pp. 76-78).
C