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

Islington 1860

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington, Parish of St Mary]

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Table: The following Table exhibits the population of Islington thus estimated at the spring of each year from 1856 to 1860. The total increase occurring during each year showing approximatively how much has been natural increase by births exceeding deaths, and how much by immigration from other places ; together with the rate of mortality observed each year

The following Table exhibits the population of Islington thus estimated at the spring of each year from 1856 to 1860. The total increase occurring during each year showing approximatively how much has been natural increase by births exceeding deaths, and how much by immigration from other places ; together with the rate of mortality observed each year

Year.Estimated Population.Total Increase occurring during year.Natural Increase occurring during year from excess of Births over Deaths.Proximate Increase by excess of Immigration over Emigration.Difference of Increase by Immigration over preceding year.Corrected Mortality.Deaths per 10,000 living.
1856121668608318734210..2436200
1857127751638720354352+ 1422556200
1858134138670717714936+ 5842791208
1859140845704321864857— 792811199
1860147888740321925211+ 3542992202
Mean ..1344586724201147132717202

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Nothing can be more satisfactory than these results of our battle against
unsanitary influences. Islington stands in respect to the mode of increase of its
population in a remarkable position. During the ten years from 1851 to 1861, the
increase of population in London by immigration of strangers was l-4th less than the
natural increase by excess of births over deaths. In Islington, during the five years
of my official connexion with the parish, the increase by immigration was absolutely
one and a third times greater than that by natural increase. Of course, whatever
sanitary advantages the older residents in the parish have enjoyed, these new comers
every year bring in themselves the results of those less sanitary conditions in which
they have hitherto dwelt, and which render the general death-rate of England about
220 in the 10,000. No one can study the table I have given above without seeing
three things—first, that notwithstanding our rapid growth by immigration, our average
death-rate has been comparatively low, viz., 202 per 10,000 ; secondly, that wherever
in the five years the death-rate has risen, it has been in connexion with the increased
influx of strangers from without (see years 1858 and 1860); thirdly, that in the
course of the year even these strangers, incorporated into our community, derive the
benefit of the sanitary advantages afforded them in a diminished death-rate (comparing
the death-rate of 1859 with that of 1858). Were our increase to be simply
or mainly that by birth, it is probable that our death-rate would not exceed 190
in the 10,000.
E. B.
June 20th, 1861.