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
City of Westminster 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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58
Diarrhceal Diseases—In London, deaths from the epidemic or
infective form of this disease numbered 2,592, and were fewer than the
corrected average by about 900, but the rate for the year was higher
than that of 1907, viz., 0.53, as compared with 0.32. In Westminster,
however, the number (24) of deaths was slightly less than 1907, and
considerably lower than the average (97). The figures for several
years are shown below.
Deaths from other forms of enteritis numbered 23, which is above
the average; 15 were of infants. Probably this form was due to cold,
improper feeding, defective powers of digestion, and in some instances
this condition resulted from a previous attack of the epidemic form.
The following table exhibits the particulars:—
| Westminster. | 1901. | 1902. | 1903. | 1904. | 1905. | 1906. | 1907. | 1908. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epidemic diarrhcea | 79 | 37 | 59 | 42 | 27 | 28 | 20 | 11 |
| Epidemic enteritis | 18 | 24 | 38 | 20 | 47 | 7 | 13 | |
| Other forms of enteritis | 13 | 27 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 23 |
| Total deaths | 110 | 88 | 73 | 96 | 64 | 95 | 46 | 47 |
| Number under 1 year | ||||||||
| of age | 78 | 63 | 52 | 72 | 42 | 71 | 27 | 33 |
| Number of births | 3,432 | 3,461 | 3,185 | 3,054 | 3,120 | 2,931 | 2,927 | 2,913 |
| Deaths of infants per | ||||||||
| 1,000 births | 22 .7 | 18.2 | 16.3 | 23.5 | 13 .4 | 24.2 | 9.2 | 11.4 |
Fifteen of the deaths were in St. John's Ward, 13 in Victoria. The rates per 1,000 persons for each quarter for epidemic diarrhcea and enteritis were as follows:—
| 1908. | 1st Quarter. | 2nd Quarter. | 3rd Quarter. | 4th Quarter. | The Year. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster .. | 0.09 | 0.02 | 0.37 | 0 .06 | 0.13 |
| London | 0.17 | 0.15 | 1.36 | 0.46 | 0.53 |
Meteorological conditions again played a part in keeping down the
rate. Although there were long spells of dry weather, yet the rainfall
during the summer was above the average. There was a recrudescence
of the complaint in October, when the weather was unusually hot. Two
lines of special action have been initiated in other Boroughs, and their
example might be followed with advantage in Westminster. By one,
notification of this form of illness has been secured during the summer
months in Woolwich with good results; by the other, arrangements have
been made by voluntary effort in Paddington to supply children suffering
with "citrated" and other forms of modified milk. This proved of
value in preventing fatal results.