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

West Ham 1899

Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1899

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Table: one may safely conclude that the results obtained are an index of the health conditions of the poorer inhabitants generally:—

one may safely conclude that the results obtained are an index of the health conditions of the poorer inhabitants generally:—

District.1897.1898.1899.
No. of Deaths.Death-rate per 1,000.No. of Deaths.Death-rate per 1,000.No. of Deaths.Death-rate per 1,000.
Woodgrange Area115.0208.53213.9
Stratford Marsh Area7123.96519.18227.6
Bidder Street ,,10629.58824.59025.1
Croydon Road „14722.614422.112819.9
Hallesville ,,15726.516828.417830.1
West Silvertown ,,3827.42014.43122.3
Mid-Silvertown ,,3614.74920.04719.2
East Silvertown ,,4423.23619.05026.4
Whole Borough4,48618.24,59417.95,21319.5

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Deaths of Infants.—The deaths in children under one year
of age numbered 1,770, or 201 for each 1,000 births. The average
for the 33 large English Towns was 181, and of these the only towns
with a greater death-roll in this respect during last year, were
Manchester (206), Salford (209), Nottingham (210), Preston (255),
Burnley (269). In viewing the five principal causes of deaths in
infants, it will be at once seen that the chief factor in producing the
above rate of 201 deaths to 1,000 births, which, indeed, is the highest
rate yet recorded in West Ham, was Diarrhoea and Enteritis.
Number of deaths under one year of age:—
1898. 1899.
Diarrhoea and Enteritis 385 563
Premature Birth 164 154
Convulsions 175 133
Bronchitis 204 200
Marasmus, &c. 198 244
Many, one might say most, of the deaths from the above causes
are essentially preventible, being due to ignorance rather than