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
Poplar 1898
Annual report, year 1898, on the sanitary condition with vital statistics of the parishes of Poplar and Bromley within the Poplar District
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34
of which occurred in children under five years. In BromRey 12r
deaths happened, two of which were of non-residents, and five deaths
were reported from outlying institutions, so that 124 deaths belong to
Bromley, and of these 117 were of children under five years of age.
For death rates see Tables III. and IV., page 12.*
Deaths from diarrœa for the past six years were as follows:—
| 1893. | 1894. | 1895. | 1896. | 1897. | 1898. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poplar | 54 | 20 | 52 | 61 | 46 | 66 |
| Bromley | 83 | 29 | 56 | 72 | 68 | 124 |
| Totals | 137 | 49 | 108 | 133 | 114 | 190 |
| London | 3446 | 1780 | 3600 | 3223 | 4104 | 4376 |
The extraordinary and persistent high temperature no doubt caused
diarrhoea to prevail.
It has been shown that when the earth four feet from the surface
reaches a temperature of 56 degs. Fahr , and so long as this temperature
is maintained the epidemic prevalence of diarrhoea continues and
commonly reaches its highest point about the same time as the four
feet earth temperature.
It therefore behoves every person to prevent pollution of the surface
of the soil with organic refuse matter and sewage.
It is as well to state that according to Klein the probable cause of
diarrhoea is largely to be found in horse dung which is pulverised
and blown about generally; hence the necessity of keeping the streets
well scavenged and watered.
Two cases of cholera (simple) were notified in the Poplar parish.
One patient, aged 12 years, had been eating "hokey-pokey" and
fruit, this case recovered; the other patient was a woman aged 45
* Deaths from simple cholera are included in these tables.