Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham District]
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METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
Week ending. | Weight of air. Barometer corrected. Mean inches. | Temperature of Air. Thermometer. | Prevailing winds. | Rainy days. | Amount of rain in inches. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Highest. | Lowest. | Mean of daily readings. | |||||
Nov. 1. | 30.165 | 56 7 | 31 4 | 44 7 | N.E.&calm. | 1 | 0.34 |
8. | 30.236 | 57 7 | 29 0 | 43 4 | N. E. | 3 | 0.23 |
15. | 29.649 | 49 8 | 29 0 | 38 3 | N. | 4 | 0.12 |
22. | 30.025 | 52 6 | 23 8 | 42 3 | N. W. | 1 | 0.15 |
Sydenham, November 27th, 1856.
DECEMBER.
Gentlemen,
The returns of mortality for the month, from 23rd of November to 20th of December,
are of a very favourable character as regards the number of deaths in Blackheath,
Penge, and Sydenham; but in the Lewisham Ward the mortality is a little in excess of
the monthly average; the principal number of deaths have occurred amongst the aged
and infants, 2 deaths having been recorded in persons above 60 years of age, 3 in those
above 70, and 4 in those above 80 years of age; 6 deaths have occurred in children
under 2 years of age.
A death has occurred from a bad form of scarlatina in Camden Cottages, Blackheath with this exception, there has been no mortality from zymotic disease.
DISTRICT. | BIRTHS. | DEATHS. | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Males. | Females. | Total. | Males. | Females. | Total. | |
Blackheath | 5 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Lewisham | 9 | 16 | 25 | 7 | 7 | 18 |
Union Workhouse | 3 | 1 | ||||
Penge | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | |
Sydenham | 5 | 11 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
Total | 22 | 35 | 57 | 11 | 12 | 28 |
Appended, are meteorological tables for the month; also an alphabetical summary of
the nuisances, &c., injurious to the health of the population of the District, contained
in the monthly reports for the last six months.
I have also appended a table of the mortality of each Ward for the year, comprising
a monthly statement of the causes of death (more especially from zymotic disease,) sex,
and age, at which death takes place, which I think must prove useful as a matter of
reference.
The average number of births which take place per month in the District amounts
to 52; which gives 624 births per annum; but from the great number of houses built
and occupied within the last four years, it is almost impossible with any degree of
accuracy, to form a conclusion as to the increase of population upon the last census.
During the entire year I have kept an accurate register of each street or block of
houses in which a death has occurred, in order to ascertain with precision as to how
far the proximity of nuisance, damp, or the want of elevation and drainage of a locality
favours the spread of disease. This will, I hope, also prove a useful guide to the
sanitary requirements of the District.
I have the honor to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
F. E. WILKINSON.