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 1906
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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It will be seen from the foregoing table that the death-rate from the principal epidemic diseases
was, in the period 1901-5, highest in Shoreditch (3.11), and lowest in Hampstead (0.71); in the year
1906 Finsbury (3.59) had the highest death-rate, the lowest again obtaining in Hampstead (0.57). The
death-rates from these diseases during each of the four quarters of the year 1906 were as follows : First
quarter, 1.42; second quarter, 1.44; third quarter, 3.62; and fourth quarter, 1.22 per 1,000 persons
living.
Smallpox and Vaccination.
There were no deaths from smallpox in the Administrative County of London during the year
1906; 3 deaths were, however, attributed to cowpox.
The death-rates from smallpox in successive periods have been as follows:—
| Period. | Death-rate per 1,000 persons living. | Period. | Death-rate per 1,000 persons living. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1841-50 | 0402 | 1901 | 0.0511 |
| 1851-60 | 0.280 | 1902 | 0.2821 |
| 1861-70 | 0.276 | 1903 | 0.0031 |
| 1871-80 | 0.457 | 1904 | 0.0051 |
| 1881-90 | 0.145 | 1905 | 0.0021 |
| 1891-1900 | 0.0101 | 1906 | – |
The smallpox death-rate in each year since 1840 in relation to the mean smallpox death-rate of
the period 1841-190G is shown in diagram V.
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. | Case-rate per 1,001) persona 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 |
| 1905 | 74 | 0.016 |
| 1906 | 31 | 0.007 |
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 1896-1905 the London death-rate was higher than
that of any, except Liverpool, West Ham and Hull; in 1906 London had no deaths from smallpox,
Hull being the only large town where an appreciable death-rate obtained.
| Town. | 1896-1905. | 1906. | Town. | 1896 1905. | 1906. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 0.032 | -2 | West Ham | 0.06 | – |
| Liverpool | 0.03 | 0.00 | Bradford | 0.01 | – |
| Manchester | 0.01 | – | Newcastle-on-Tyne | 0.01 | – |
| Birmingham | 0.00 | – | Hull | 0.08 | 0.04 |
| Leeds | 0.00 | – | Nottingham | 0.01 | – |
| Sheffield | 0.00 | – | Salford | 0.00 | – |
| Bristol | 0.00 | 0.00 | Leicester | 0.01 | – |
In this table 0.00 indicates that the deaths were too few to give a rate of 0.005; where no death occurred – is
inserted.
1 See footnote (2), page 7.
2 See footnote (1), page 8.