London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St George (Southwark) 1861

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, The Vestry of the Parish of St. George the Martyr]

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15
Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—1860.
Table No. 5 gives you the analysis of the water of the Lambeth and Southwark
Companies, made by Dr. R. D. Thomson, and published in the weekly returns of the
Begistrar General. There is also the analysis of the water from a well in Bexley Street,
Camberwell, the water of which is more impure than that taken from the well in Blackmail
Street; the total impurities of the former being 214'0 in the gallon; the latter, 136'0.
This tells favourably for the water given us by the companies.

TABLE No. 5.

Total Impurity per GallonOrganic Impurity per Gallon.Total Impurity per Gallon.Organic Impurity per Gallon.
1860.grs. or ogrs. or o1860.grs. orogrs. or o
DISTILLED WATER0.00. 0DISTILLED WATER0.00.0
Southwark Company—April19.761.52Lambeth Company—April19.201.68
,, ,, May17.081.64,, ,, May20.802.40
„ „ Juno19.882.80,, ,, June19.362.40
,, ,, July21.121.44,, ,, July19.481.60
,, ,, August15.810.76,, ,, August19.041.60
,, ,, September20.281.80,, ,, September21.241.24
,, ,, October20.401.12,, ,, October31.202.08
,, ,, November20.681.68„ „ November20.961.36
,, ,, December21.881.60,, ,, December20.041.84
1861.1861.
,, ,, January22.721.84,, „ January20.882.24
,, ,, February22.281.84,, ,, February20.580.96
,, ,, March20.281.08,, ,, March20.281.60

The weather during the year 1860 was characterised by its coldness, and the great
quantity of rain which fell. ''The days and nights were remarkably cold; in fact, April
was colder than in any year sinoe 1839; and June since 1821. This month was also noticeable
for the large rain fall, more having fallen than in any year since 1815. The temperatures
of July, August, and September were all below the average. There is no other
instance on record of so low a mean temperature of the four months, June, July, August,
and September as 55°.9". "The excess of rain at Greenwich in the nine months was 6.0
inches." The close of the year was unusually cold. After December 18th the cold was
intense. "On Christmas-day, 25th, the temperature of the air fell to 7°, on the 29th to
8° Fahrenheit." "In December there was a large fall of rain, and the atmospheric pressure
was also low."*
The following Table contains the names of the streets in which some of the principal
Zymotic, lung diseases, and brain and nervous diseases of children have occurred. The
Table is suggestive, and will repay examination, especially to those acquainted with
the localities.
*See Quarterly Returns by the authority of the Registrar General, from which the above is extracted.