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 1905
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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38 phthisis.
In Church Ward only was the "corrected" rate for last year (1.69) above the standard
rate. The changes in the corrected rates in comparison with the mean rates are the same as
those for the recorded rates.
In the Adjacent Districts (Table 12) the recorded mortality was above that of the
Borough, except in Hampstead (rate 0.82). In Willesden last year's rate (1.05) was higher
than the mean for 1901-04 (0.91). The corrected rates are given in Table 26.
TABLE 26.
Phthisis Mortality.
| istrict. | CENSUS, 1901. | Death-rates. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons per Acre. | Percentage of total Population. | |||||
| "Overcrowded." | Living in homes of less than 5 rooms. | Standard Rate. | Corrected Rates. | |||
| 1905. | Mean 1901-04. | |||||
| London | 61 | 16.0 | 54.0 | 1.74 | 1.41 | 1.60 |
| Paddington | 106 | 13.6 | 50.9 | 1.80 | 0.92 | 1.05 |
| Kensington | 77 | 14.8 | 41.7 | 1.78 | 1.10 | 1.29 |
| Westminster | 73 | 13.0 | 45.7 | 1.95 | 1.34 | 1.53 |
| Marylebone | 90 | 21.1 | 55.6 | 1.85 | 1.34 | 1.52 |
| Hampstead | 36 | 6.4 | 29.6 | 1.75 | 0.81 | 0.82 |
| Willesden | 21 | 11.6 | 50.7 | 1.65 | 1.10 | 0.95 |
Enquiries, with offers to disinfect the deceased's room and goods, are made after every
death of residents from consumption. Information sufficient for tabulation was obtained
with reference to 112 deaths. Enquiries were also made with reference to 21 cases reported
to the Department during the patients' lifetime. Of these 21 patients, 9 died during
the year.
Histories of tubercular diseases in other members of the family were obtained in 35
instances; in 47 the previous occurrence of the disease was denied. As regards the
remaining 30 cases, no definite particulars could be given. In 52 instances the infectious
nature of "Consumption" was not known, but in some of these families precautions against
the spread of infection were carried out—in 26 cases only did it appear that nothing was
done in this direction.
Disinfection by the Department was carried out at 97 premises, only 5 definitely
declining the offer. Seven cases, however, came to the knowledge of the Department so long
after the deceased had gone to the hospital where death occurred that disinfection appeared
to be useless. Domestic cleansing with re-decoration of the deceased's room is urged after
disinfection. Where the paper and paint are good, the former is rubbed down with dough
and the latter washed with strong soda.
Of the 21 cases reported during life, the particulars relating to the 9 which terminated
during the year are included in above paragraph. Five of the surviving patients belonged to
consumptive families. The infectious nature of the disease was known to 7 of the patients
families, and precautions were being taken. The homes of the 12 patients still surviving
were disinfected, six of them being cleansed and re-decorated during the year.