London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Wandsworth 1892

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]

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84
satisfactory, as this disease we know to be associated with
sanitary defects. There were also 2 deaths from continued
fever.
Puerperal Fever.—Seven deaths were ascribed to this
cause, as compared with 6 in 1891. There were 13 cases
reported, a mortality of over 50 per cent.
Erysipelas.—The deaths were 16. The cases reported
were 274.
Measles.—The deaths were 78 from this illness, about
the average number. For our opinions respecting tho
responsibility of sanitary authorities as to whooping cough
and measles, we refer to our report for 1891. Many, if
not most of these deaths, are in our opinions preventible.
Whooping Cough caused 89 deaths, also about the
average number.
Influenza.—No less than 112 deaths were ascribed to
influenza, and they principally occurred in the early part
of the year, but persisted to a less extent throughout the
12 months. These deaths were nearly all directly due to
respiratory diseases certified as being secondary to influenza,
and therefore included here. A larger proportion of the
deaths that really were due to influenza is probably
included under this heading than was the case during the
2 preceding years, because the deaths referred to respiratory
diseases were less than in the 2 other epidemic years. The
number of deaths from lung disease, viz., 453, exceeds by
70 the average number for the 3 years immediately
preceding the commencement of influenza, corrected for
increase of population, so that it is probable that, even in
1892, there have been more deaths really due to influenza
than were ascribed to it. It will be seen by referring to
the local reports for the sub-districts that influenza did
not affect them all with equal severity.