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
Westminster 1860
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, The United Parishes of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster]
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as a very large proportion of the Deaths have arisen from
diseases affecting the respiratory organs, in Bronchitis, Pneumonia,
and more especially Consumption. Only 2 Deaths are
recorded as arising from Smalt Pox, but there are 5 as
dependent upon Scarlet Fever, and 10 from Hooping Cough.
A perusal of the Reports from other Metropolitan parishes
shows me, that this large mortality has been very general. In
the second week of April, the Registrar-General's Return
showed that in Bronchitis alone the Deaths were 90 in excess,
and when compared with a similar Return in 1859, gave 119
in excess. The Deaths from Phthisis were also 30 more than
usual. Thus it must be considered that the present very large
increase is attributable more to the state of the atmosphere than
to any deficiency in sanitary regulations.
| births. | deaths. | Corrected Deaths. | Deaths in 1859. | Deaths in 10 Years' average. | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St.Margaret. St. John. | St.Margaret. St. John. | ||||||||||||||||
| m | f. | Total. | m | f. | Total. | Total Births. | m | f. | Total. | m | f. | Total. | Total Deaths. | ||||
| April | 30 | 23 | 53 | 52 | 54 | 106 | 159 | 53 | 41 | 94 | 37 | 34 | 71 | 165 | 154 | 104 | 127-9 |
| May | 29 | 30 | 59 | 54 | 47 | 101 | 160 | 30 | 31 | 67 | 38 | 27 | 65 | 132 | 119 | 122 | 125-9 |
| June | 37 | 41 | 78 | 44 | 39 | 83 | 101 | 32 | 41 | 73 | 36 | 35 | 71 | 144 | 131 | 133 | 151-1 |
| Total.. | 96 | 94 | 190 | 150 | 140 | 290 | 480 | 121 | 113 | 234 | 111 | 96 | 207 | 441 | 404 | 359 | 403-9 |
The following Deaths occurred in the under-mentioned places:—
| Workhouses. | Hospitals. | Prisons. | Barracks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Westminster 40 | Mill bank 4 | Hyde Park 1 |
| Coldstreams 3 | House of Correction 3 | Wellington 1 | |
| Grenadier Gds. 8 | |||
| Scott's Fusileers 2 |
The following Deaths occurred above 6O Years of Age":
Above Sixty, 35—abaye Seventy, 19—above Eighty, 7—above Ninety, 1.
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