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
Wandsworth 1878
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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The following Table contrasts all deaths from Zymotic causes during the past seven years:—
| 1872 | 1873 | 1874 | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1878 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Pox | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 9 |
| Measles | 24 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 35 | 8 | 34 |
| Scarlatima | 3 | 3 | 5 | 48 | 20 | 8 | 4 |
| Diphtheria | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Quinsy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Croup | 7 | 6 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| Whooping Cough | 31 | 24 | 30 | 20 | 39 | 18 | 36 |
| Typhus, &c | rs | 22 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 25 | 15 |
| Erysipelas | 5 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Metria, Childbirth | 2 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 3 | . 1 |
| Carbuncle | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Influenza | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Diarrhoea & Cholera 32 | 37 | 43 | 35 | 43 | 22 | 41 | |
| Totals | 137 | 115 | 137 | 155 | 168 | 107 | 157 |
Other Causes of Death.—Diseases of the Respiratory
Organs, excluding Phthisis, gave 204 deaths, being 80
in excess of the previous year ; 117 were returned as Bronchitis,
56 from Pneumonia, and 31 from other Lung
diseases.
The Tubercular class of disease resulted in 143 deaths
—from Phthisis, which is the chief, 79; Atrophy, 49;
Scrofula, 12; and Hydrocephalus, 3. Collectively these
are 29 below those of the previous year. This decrease
is entirely in Consumption; the most fatal period of life
in this disease is from 20 to 40. The deaths from Wasting,
or Atrophy, are 3 in excess of the previous return,
and all took place under 5 years of age, the majority
under 1.
Diseases of the Brain and Nerves were 137, 75
being males and 62 females, 57 being under 5, and 65
between 40 and 80 years. The other diseases and numbers
were as follow :—Heart, 53 ; Digestive Organs, 27 ;
Urinary, 10; Generation, 3; Cancer, 23; Syphilis, 11 ;
Premature Birth, Low Vitality, Malformation, 31; Violence,
20 ; Joints, 1 ; Uncertain Seat, 29 ; and Old Age, 58.