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
Paddington 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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48
INQUESTS.
INQUESTS.
During the year 230 inquests were held in the Borough, 77 of which related to deaths
of non-residents. Inquests were held outside the Borough with reference to deaths of
18 residents. The nett total of inquests (171) is analysed below:—
TABLE 28. Inquests, 1901.
| Finding of Jury. | St. Mary. | St. John. | North-West Paddington. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| m. | f. | m. | f. | m. | f. | |
| Natural Causes | 33 | 31 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| By Misadventure | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Accidental Causes | 21 | 20 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Murder | 2 | |||||
| Suicide | 5 | 5 | 1 | |||
| "Open" | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Totals | 63 | 59 | 17 | 9 | 11 | 12 |
As regards deaths by suicide, there was a decline, 11 deaths being recorded compared with a corrected decennial average of 15. An analysis (condensed) of the causes and circumstances of the deaths, other than those by natural causes, is appended.
| Carbonic oxide poisoning (coal gas) | 2 | Chloroform narcosis | 1 | ||
| Ptomaine poisoning (stale shrimps) | 1 | Belladonna poisoning | 1 | ||
| Choked by food (m. æt. 1) | 1 | Born under bedclothes | 1 | ||
| Vehicular traffic | 11 | Conflagrations (suffocation) | 2 | ||
| Overlaid in bed | 12 | Clothes taking fire | 3 | ||
| Falls (various) | 19 | Other accidents | 8 | ||
| Weather agencies (heat) 2 | |||||
Murder—(2 deaths)—
Females, aged 20 and 3 years, by cutting throats.
Suicide—(11 deaths)—
By poison, 3, hydrochloric acid (spirits of salt), morphia and hydrocyanic acid (prussic acid),
1 each—all females.
By hanging, 3—males 2, female 1.
By drowning, 2—male and female, 1 each.
By shooting, 1—male. By throwing self from window—1 male.
By cut throat—1 male.
In 8 instances, the deceased were found to be of "unsound mind," and
„ 3 „ „ „ „ "temporarily insane."
Often—(2 deaths)—
A new-born male child found dead.
A female killed by fall from window, no evidence as to reason for fall.