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 1900

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Bromley, South District comprising the parishes of All Saints Poplar and Bromley Saint Leonard]

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40
The Committee were of the opinion that it was not advisable that
measles should be included as proposed.
DIARRHOEA.

Table: Deaths from diarrhoea for the past eight years were as follows:—

Deaths from diarrhoea for the past eight years were as follows:—

1893.1894.1895.1896.1897.1898.1899.1900
Poplar5420526146668248
Bromley83295672681249992
Totals13749108133114190181140
London3446178036003223410443764196

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For death rates see Tables IX. and X., page 19.
Diarrhcea, as usual during the middle of the summer, unfortunately
was prevalent. It was no doubt due to the great heat of the
summer raising the temperature of the earth, thereby causing fermentation
to take place in polluted soils, and the germs being wafted
into the air, and entering the human system either by becoming inhaled,
or settling upon articles of food. This shows the urgent necessity of
keeping the surroundings of dwellings in a sanitary condition, and
likewise having the streets well watered and scavenged.
A death from infantile cholera, in a child aged seven months, was
registered in Bromley.
In the autumnal months of October, November, December, its
place is taken by typhoid fever. The prevalence of these diseases
certainly indicates the sanitary condition of a district. As before
stated, in summer the temperature of the earth (maintained 56
degrees F. 4ft. from the surface) is one of the main factors in the
cause of diarrhcea in insanitary localities and in the autumnal months
when the nights are cold and the days hot, the cold atmospheric air