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 Hanover Square, The Vestry of the Parish of Saint George]
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board in Hill-street; a plasterer fell from a ladder; two men
fell from carts they were driving; a man walking on a
mound by the side of a road at Battersea, fell under the
wheels of a cart, suffered amputation of his leg in St.
George's Hospital, and died of pyaemia afterwards; a maidservant,
aged 23, fell down stairs by treading on her dress,
broke her arm, had it cut off in St. George's Hospital, and
also died of pyaemia; a workman fell into a tub at Smith's
distillery, and was crushed by the screw. Three men died of
railway accidents, two of them young porters, of 22 or 23, from
slipping in the snow under the wheels. One of these died
of pysemia after amputation. A man also died of fracture
of the thigh, who was picked up in the road at Battersea, and
did not know how the injury had happened. A boy
ruptured his liver by running against a Hansom cab.
No fewer than 9 deaths took place from burns and scalds;
4 of children from 3 to 5 years of age, and 1 of awoman of 75,
whose clothes "ignited accidentally," usually from a fire in a
grate; a boy of 13, and a woman of 54, fell into the
fire, and were burned to death whilst helpless from paralysis,
or unconscious from epilepsy: this being one of the horrible
dangers of that last horrible disease; and 3 children scalded
by the upsetting of saucepans, one of whom suffered from an
internal inflammation, such as often follows burns and scalds.
The term pyaemia denotes a kind of infection of the blood
liable to affect injured persons in unhealthy seasons, especially
in Hospitals. It not only carried off some of the patients
above named, but 4 patients who underwent operations for
disease.
One man was drowned by the upsetting of a boat, and
a boy from falling into the water whilst he was fishing out
sticks. An infant was found suffocated in bed with its
parents. Of suicides there were 5: 1 by drowning, 2 by
wounds, and 1 by both methods combined; 1 man by oxalic