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

St Pancras 1890

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]

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16
The Septic Diseases.— The number of deaths for these diseases in 1888 was 43
in 1889 was 34, and in 1890 was 49, namely 22 from erysipelas, 13 from Pyœmia
and 14 from puerperal fever.

Table: Influenza.—The epidemic of this disease commenced in December, 1889, but the period of extensive prevalence was reached as 1890 commenced. For some months previously an Influenza was prevalent amongst horses and the number sick in four of the largest stables (A B C and D) in St. Pancras was ascertained to be as follows :—

Influenza.—The epidemic of this disease commenced in December, 1889, but the period of extensive prevalence was reached as 1890 commenced. For some months previously an Influenza was prevalent amongst horses and the number sick in four of the largest stables (A B C and D) in St. Pancras was ascertained to be as follows :—

Sept.Oct.Not.Dec.Jan.Total No. sick.Total No. of horses
A—1091557529359850
B—124013974203
C—20352520100330
D136713221—2331200
Total13208362134587752583

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There is little doubt that the disease amongst human beings is highly communicable.
It followed the main lines of human communication and travelled pari passu
with the rapidity and frequency of the communication. For instance, whereas it
sped across Europe in a few weeks, it took a few months to reach the remote
valleys of Yorkshire. There accumulating virulence to re-attack in the following
year the towns from whence it was despatched to them.
The disease frequently spread in consecutive manner to different members of
the same family. The inculation period appears to be very short, instances being
given of the intervention of only a few hours. The more highly infectious a
disease, the shorter the inculation period, and the greater the number of persons
susceptible, the more closely does it resemble diseases spread by malarial, telluric
or atmospheric influences, hence the term of Influenza.
lhe following tables, extracted from a specially printed report made during the
year by your Medical Officer of Health, place upon record the vital statistics of
the epidemic.