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
London County Council 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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| Sanitary area. | Deaths in 1909. | Death-rate per 1,000 persons living. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901-3, | 1904. | ||
| Finsburyy | 254 | 2.76 | 2.57 |
| London, City of | 14 | 1.10 | 0.60 |
| Shoreditch | 374 | 3.14 | 3.20 |
| Bethnal-green | 383 | 2.57 | 2.95 |
| Stepney | 859 | 2.74 | 2.84 |
| Poplar gt | 568 | 2.93 | 3.37 |
| Southwark | 649 | 2.69 | 3.13 |
| Bermondsey | 456 | 2.66 | 3.52 |
| Lambeth | 650 | 1.90 | 2.10 |
| Battersea | 353 | 2.24 | 2.02 |
| Wandsworth | 448 | 1.61 | 1.73 |
| Camberwell | 509 | 2.01 | 1.90 |
| Deptford | 278 | 2.36 | 2.46 |
| Greenwich | 229 | 1.84 | 2.26 |
| Lewisham | 198 | 1.46 | 1.41 |
| Woolwich | 295 | 1.52 | 2.40 |
| London | 9,906 | 2.061 | 2.141 |
It will be seen from the foregoing table that the death-rate from the principal epidemic diseases
was in the period 1901-3, highest in Shoreditch (3.14) and lowest in Hampstead (080), and in the year
1904, was highest in Bermondsey (3.52) and lowest in the City of London) 0'60). The death rates from
these diseases during each of the four quarters of the year were as follows, first quarter 1*61, second
quarter, 1*71, third quarter, 4"20, and fourth quarter 1'04 per 1,000 persons living.
Smallpox and Vaccination.
The death rates from smallpox in successive periods have been as follows:—
| Period. | Smallpox death-rate per 1,000 living. | Period. | Smallpox death-rati per 1,000 living. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1841-50 | 0.402 | 1891-1900 | 0.0101 |
| 1851-60 | 0.280 | 1901 | 0.0511 |
| 1861-70 | 0.276 | 1902 | 0.2821 |
| 1871-80 | 0.457 | 1903 | 0.0031 |
| 1881-90 | 0.145 | 1904 | 0.0051 |
The smallpox death.rate in each year since 1840 in relation to the mean smallpox death.rate of
the period 1841.1904 is shown in diagram 1Y.
During the complete years in which the notification of infectious diseases has been obligatory, the number of cases of smallpox (uncorrected for errors in diagnosis)'notified to the medical officers of health in the various sanitary districts comprised in the administrative county has been as follows—
| Year. | Cases notified. | Uase.rate per 1,000 living.- |
|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 60 | 0.014 |
| 1891 | 114 | 0.027 |
| 1892 | 425 | 0.100 |
| 1893 | 2,815 | 0.653 |
| 1894 | 1,193 | 0.274 |
| 1895 | 980 | 0.223 |
| 1896 | 225 | 0.050 |
| 1897 | 104 | 0.023 |
| 1898 | 33 | 0.007 |
| 1899 | 29 | 0.006 |
| 1900 | 86 | 0.019 |
| 1901 | 1,700 | 0.375 |
| 1902 | 7,796 | 1.675 |
| 1903 | 416 | 0.090 |
| 1904 | 489 | 0.105 |
If the London smallpox death.rate be compared with the death.rates of the following large
English towns, it will be seen that in the decennium 1894-1903 the London death-rate exceeded that of
any except Birmingham, West Ham and Hull, while in the year 1904 it was exceeded by the deathrates
of Manchester, Hull, Nottingham, Newcastle and Leicester.
See footnote (') page 7,