London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wandsworth 1858
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
This page requires JavaScript
8
and diarrhœa were the most persistently prevalent, having been present
during the whole year. Hooping-cough prevailed throughout the year,
excepting its first quarter. Scarlet-fever, which was the most fatal of
the class, was present during February, August, October, November and
December. All the deaths from these diseases occurred in July, August,
November and December; excepting one case of fever in April, and
another in June. The following table shows the deaths which have
occurred during the past three years. It is seen that they exhibit a
great and continuous decrease since the commencement of the operations
of the Board :—
TABLE III. Showing the deaths from epidemic disease during the years 1856-57-58.
| Years | Small-pox | Measles | Scarlet Fever | Hooping-cough | Diarrhœa | Typhus | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 43 |
| 1857 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 11 | 29 |
| 1858 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 22 |
General Sickness—Amount and Character of.
Table IV. in the Appendix shows the amount of sickness and mortality
occurring amongst the poor during the past year, and serves as a means
of judging from a portion of the sickness which has occurred, and which
can be accurately known, of the amount and general character of the
whole, which it is at present impossible to ascertain. There was
upwards of 3 per cent, less total sickness, and 11 per cent, less epidemic
disease, than prevailed on an average of the last three years. The
deaths were about the average number. The intensity of disease was,
therefore, by inference greater than the average in direct ratio to the
diminution of sickness, and would appear to have been due to acute
diseases of the respiratory organs, the deaths from which were as
numerous as during the last three years collectively.
Sanitary Operations.
A summary of the sanitary operations carried on in the parish during
the past year, is contained in Table V. of the Appendix. It is to be
remarked as a matter for congratulation, that they have been effected
without the necessity for magisterial interference. There is another
thing to be noted which is not so satisfactory, which is, that water has
been laid on to one house only during the year. Having fully discussed
the subject of water supply to this parish in my report for 1856, to
which I would again beg to refer, I need not now dilate upon it; but