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REPORT
on the
SANITARY CONDITION OF SAINT PANCRAS, MIDDLESEX,
DURING' JUNE, 1857,
by
THOMAS HILLIER, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health for the Parish of Saint Pancras.
July 6th, 1857.] [No. 15.
TO THE SANITARY COMMITTEE.
Gentlemen—
Two hundred and sixty-six deaths were registered in Saint Pancras during
the four weeks that ended on the 27th June.
•
The average number of deaths in the corresponding periods of the ten years
immediately preceding was 272.7, so that the present mortality is less than the
average, even without allowing tor increase of population.
Hooping cough has been again the most fatal amongst zymotic diseases,
giving 15 deaths; there have been 7 deaths from low fevers, 6 from diarrhoea,
8 from measles, 3 from scarlatina and malignant sore throat, 1 from small pox,
and 4 from croup. Tubercular diseases have been fatal to 61 persons; diseases
of the respiratory organs have caused 30 deaths (last month there were 47);
diseases of the nervous system have been fatal in 41 cases (last month only 27).
This last number includes 4 deaths from delirium tremens, the result of drink ;
one of a man only nineteen years of age. There was, too, a death produced by
choking whilst in a state of intoxication. In several other cases during the last
month I have had proof that excess of alcoholic drinks has tended very much to
hasten the death.
Of the whole number of deaths 128 were of persons under 20 years of age,
and 103 under 5 years, and 10 were above 80 years.
Small pox though only fatal in one case has continued since the beginning
of May to prevail in Somers Town, and is still rife there. During the late
quarter only two have died of this disease, both unvaccinated. The disease has
in the present case spread, it is believed, in great measure from a family whose
parents objected to their being vaccinated.* It is high time that the Vaccination
Act was rendered more effective.
During the month three cases have been sent to the Fever Hospital, of
whom one has died.
* Since this was written two other deaths have occurred from small pox of children unvaccinated in
Little Clarendon Street. There is a third child, of the same family, lying in a very precarious state with the
same disease, and in this crowdcd locality, it is much to be feared, that many more will have the disease.