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 1890
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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39
Zymotic
Mortality.
There were 21 deaths recorded as resulting
from diseases of a Zymotic nature, which is 12
in excess of last year. This increase is accounted for by
the greater number of deaths from measles and whooping
cough. The Sanitary Authority has practically no
power to prevent the spread of these disorders. They
are communicated by contagion and not notified under
the Infectious Disease Notification Act. In regard to
those diseases over which we have more control, the
mortality is practically nil. No fatal case of Small Pox,
Scarlet Fever or Diphtheria was reported.
| Zymotic Mortality. | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 | 1890 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erysipelas | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 2 | 1 |
| Small Pox | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Measles | .. | 6 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | .. | 2 | 10 |
| Scarlet Fever | 1 | 8 | 4 | 7 | .. | 1 | 1 | .. | 1 | .. | |
| Enteric Fever | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 1 | .. | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Diphtheria | .. | 1 | 29 | 24 | .. | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .. | .. |
| Whooping Cough | 9 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| Epidemic Diarrhoea | 10 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 9 | .. | 4 | .. | .. |
| Other Zymotic Diseases | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | .. | 1 | 8 | 1 | 2 | .. | 1 |
| Total Deaths from Zymotic Diseases | 25 | 27 | 69 | 44 | 28 | 18 | 42 | 7 | 16 | 12 | 21 |
| Zymotic Death-rate | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 2.49 | 0.44 | 1.0 | 0.73 | 1.1 |
| Death-rate for all Diseases | 13.6 | 12.5 | 15.1 | 17.1 | 13.7 | 11.2 | 11.8 | 12.5 | 11.7 | 11.1 | 12.4 |
The question of the advisability of adding Measles to
the list of diseases under the Notification Act is
now under consideration by the Board. The special
report drawn up by the Medical Officers of this district
expresses my opinions in reference to this important
question. During the year in this sub-district the
number of deaths from Measles alone nearly equalled
that from all the other Zymotic diseases put together.