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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the disease, after vaccination, are adults, in whom the
protective influence of the operation has become exhausted
by the changes in the system which are incidental to
puberty, by the effect of other acute diseases, and, above
all, by the influence of time, which, in many cases, seems
to renew the liability to infection. The remedy in these
cases is, of course, re-vaccination, which, if once performed
in a satisfactory manner, confers absolute protection for
life.
Inquests.—During the year the Coroner held enquiry
as to the cause of death in 39 cases in the Sub-district, the
following being the respective verdicts:—
Natural causes 13
Accidental causes—
Concussion, Fracture, &c. 7
Asphyxia 4
Drowned 5
Killed on Railway 4
Scald l
Poison—Opium, 1; Gin, 1 2— 23
Homicidal—
Suicides—Cut Throat, 1; Hanging, 1;
Drowning, 1 3
Total 39
giving a proportion of 4.3 inquests to 100 deaths.
Uncertified Deaths.—Fifteen of these very unsatisfactory
entries were made by the Registrar during the
like period; with the exception of cases aged respectively
78, 31, 80, and 23 years, they all referred to infants or
very young children.
Of the total number of deaths in the Sub-district
during 1877, 1.65 per cent. were uncertified by any
Registered Medical Practitioner.
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