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 1866
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington, Parish of St Mary]
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4
The unusually large number of houses Inspected during the last
month will probably attract attention, and I must explain that it is no
proof of former dilatoriness. The fact is that I have given directions
to the Inspectors to confine their attention, as much as possible, for the
present, to a few only of the points they habitually report upon, those
matters having a more direct relation than others to the localization of
cholera.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Vestry Offices,
June 4th, 1866.
TABLE A.
Showing the Number of Cases of disease generally, and of Bowel Complaints particularly, recorded in the corresponding month for the last six years; and also the total of the deaths from all causes, and
from Bowel Complaints.
| May. | Total Sickness. | Total Deaths. | Diarrhoea. | Dysentery. | Cholera. | Bowel Complaints. Total. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | Deaths. | Cases. | Deaths. | Cases. | Deaths. | Cases. | Deaths. | |||
| 1866 | 2375 | 360 | 67 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 68 | 2 |
| 1865 | 2141 | 272 | 62 | 3 | 2 | - | — | - | 64 | 3 |
| 1804 | 2145 | 294 | 47 | 4 | - | 1 | - | - | 47 | 5 |
| 1863 | 2402 | 280 | 42 | 2 | - | - | — | — | 42 | 2 |
| 1862 | 2198 | 188 | 65 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 67 | 2 |
| 1861 | 1973 | 225 | 56 | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 62 | 3 |
| 1860 | 1792 | 208 | 53 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 55 | 2 |
TABLE B.
Results of a Special Analysis of the Water supplied hy the Metropolitan Water Companies during May, as made and published hy the Metropolitan Association of Medical Officers of Health.
| Total solid matter per Imperial gallon. | Loss by Ignition. | Oxydisable Organic Matter. | Hardness. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Boiling. | After Boiling. | ||||
| Thames Water Companies. | erains. | grains. | grains. | degrees. | degrees. |
| Grand Junction | 19.10 | 1.04 | 0.31 | 14.0 | 3.5 |
| West Middlesex | 18.39 | 0.80 | 0.29 | 14.0 | 3.5 |
| Southwark and Vauxhall | 19.06 | 1.04 | 0.39 | 14.5 | 3.5 |
| Chelsea | 18.87 | 0.81 | 0.27 | 14.0 | 3.5 |
| Lambeth | 18.99 | 0.99 | 0.32 | 14.0 | 3.5 |
| Other Companies. | |||||
| Kent | 28.32 | 1.13 | 0.05 | 18.5 | 7.5 |
| New River | 17.84 | 0.68 | 0.22 | 14.0 | 4.5 |
| East London | 21.68 | 0.79 | 0.38 | 14.5 | 4.0 |