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 1865
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington, Parish of St Mary]
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TABLE A.
Shewing the Number of Cases of disease generally, and of Bowel Complaints particularly, recorded in the corresponding month for the last five years; and also the total of the deaths from all causes, and
from Bowel Complaints.
| October. | Total Sickness. | Total Deaths. | Diarrhœa. | Dysentery. | Cholera. | Total. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | Deaths. | Cases. | Deaths. | Cases. | Deaths. | Cases. | Deaths. | |||
| 1865 | 2275 | 290 | 164 | 14 | — | — | — | 2 | 164 | 16 |
| 1864 | 2370 | 216 | 70 | 8 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 72 | 9 |
| 1863 | 2581 | 282 | 92 | 7 | — | — | — | 2 | 92 | 9 |
| 1862 | 2352 | 205 | 146 | 10 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 150 | 10 |
| 1861 | 2382 | 223 | 94 | 6 | 7 | — | — | — | 101 | 6 |
| 1860 | 2030 | 215 | 87 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | 88 | 9 |
TABLE B.
Results of a Special Analysis of the Water supplied by the Metropolitan Water Companies during October, as made and published by the Metropolitan Association of Medical Officers of Health.
| Total solid matter per Imperial gallon. | Losa by Ignition. | Oxydisable Organic Matter. | Hardness. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Boiling. | After Boiling. | ||||
| Thames Water Companies. | grains. | grains. | grains. | degrees. | degrees. |
| Grand Junction | 17.0 | 0.85 | 0.64 | 13 | 4 |
| West Middlesex | 16.3 | 0.54 | 0.36 | 13 | 4 |
| Southwark and Vauxhal | 15.2 | 1.01 | 0.40 | 12 | 4 |
| Chelsea | 16.7 | 0.55 | 0.40 | 12 | 4 |
| Lambeth | 17.5 | 0.88 | 0.64 | 13 | 4 |
| Other Companies. | |||||
| Kent | 23.6 | 0.75 | 0.24 | 17 | 6 |
| New River | 16.9 | 0.56 | 0.16 | 12 | 3 |
| East London | 17.6 | 0.89 | 0.24 | 13 | 4 |
I must add, with respect to this analysis, that it relates to water as
taken from the mains of the several companies. Water, in itself good,
in many instances becomes unwholesome, and apt to promote diarrhœal
and choleraic diseases, from negligence as to the cleanly condition of
the butts and cisterns in which it is preserved. In some poor districts
this is fearful to contemplate. It appears such an easy thing to cleanse
the domestic water receptacles, and to provide them with a proper
cover. In Water's Court the cistern for the supply of the whole court
is uncovered, and situated over the filthy privies, for some weeks quite
choked up. A few days ago we took out of this cistern what appeared
to be a horribly dirty sweep's shirt, a portion of an old hat, some
beastly clouts, &c. The sides of the tank were grown over also with
vegetable matter of low organisation. The whole condition of the
water is such as to render it highly dangerous to persons drinking it,
should epidemic cholera arrive in the metropolis.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Vestry Offices,
November 6th, 1865.