Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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every infant born in the district, but no means at present
existing by which I can determine to which division of
the parish each child belongs, I am unable to do so.
Disease and Mortality amongst the Out-door Union
Poor.—The number of cases attended during the year was
469, viz.:—Males 196, Females 273, being considerably less
than in the previous year. This may be attributed to the
absence of any epidemic, such as visited the district during
1871, when 245 cases of Small Pox occurred amongst the
out-door poor exclusively, whilst this year there were only
11. The other diseases of an epidemic nature were
Diarrhoea 26, Rubeola 16, Scarlet Fever 5, Whooping
Cough 7, Fever 15 (comprising Typhus, Typhoid, and Continued),
and Erysipelas 6 ; of the non-epidemic classes,
disease of the Respiratory Organs stands first with 82 cases,
Rheumatism and Gout next with 51. Of the 469 cases,
30 were removed to the Infirmary, 10 to the Small Pox
Hospitals, 5 to the Fever Hospitals, 4 to Lunatic Asylums,
and 420 were treated at their own homes. The number of
deaths during the year was 26, viz.:-Males 15, Females 11,
giving a mortality of 5.54 per cent, which would no
doubt be slightly raised could we trace out the end of
those who were removed to the Hospitals; but the number
being so few (19), it would not be very materially affected,
as would have been the case last year could that information
have been obtained. This mortality is extremely low
when we consider the unfavourable conditions which
surrounded these poor people in the time of sickness, which
must protract their ailments and somewhat retard their
recovery. In the houses where Small Pox cases have
occurred disinfection by means of fumigation by sulphur,
free use of carbolic acid and Condy's fluid, has always
been without delay carried out by Mr. Blackmore, the
Inspector of Nuisances. In my opinion this is insufficient.
Nothing short of great heat, in properly
constructed chambers, will prove effectual in destroying the
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