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 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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160
London deaths in period covering fog in 1873
London population 3,356,073
Mean dai\y temperature
Tuesday, 9th December, 29.7°
Wednesday, 10th December, 24.6°
Thursday, 11th December, 28.3°
Friday, 12th December, 34.6°
Saturday, 13th December, 35.3°
Hoar frost, overcast during middle of day. Fog
varying in density, generally very thick.
Overcast with exception of a period during
afternoon. Very dense fog throughout. Visibility
10 yards.
Cloudy in morning and at night. Cloudless
during mid-day. Dense fog.
Clouds broken, sunshine at times. Fog prevalent
but not so dense.
Overcast and dull. Foggy at times.
| Week ended | All ages | Under 1 | 1-4 | 5-19 | 20-39 | 40-59 | 60 and over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd Nov. | 1,674 (1,546) | 422 | 318 | 118 | 207 | 264 | 345 |
| 29th Nov. | 1,585 (1,537) | 352 | 319 | 85 | 226 | 244 | 359 |
| 6th Dec. | 1,484 (1,558) | 370 | 304 | 101 | 173 | 236 | 300 |
| 13th Dec. | 1,759 (1,544) | 329 | 333 | 90 | 261 | 331 | 415 |
| 20th Dec. | 2,415 (1,487) | 409 | 427 | 126 | 304 | 452 | 697 |
| 27th Dec. | 1,540 (1,542) | 281 | 292 | 84 | 221 | 290 | 372 |
| 3rd Jan. | 1,842 (1,542) | 401 | 341 | 96 | 226 | 325 | 453 |
| Week ended | All causes | Phthisis | Bronchitis | Pneumonia | Heart disease | Whooping-cough |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd Nov. | 1,674 | 152 (172) | 262 (226) | 128 (117) | 85 (75) | 46 (39) |
| 29th Nov. | 1,585 | 136 (163) | 285 (235) | 127 (107) | 72 (72) | 34 (40) |
| 6th Dec. | 1,484 | 148 (166) | 248 (235) | 80 (109) | 77 (71) | 41 (48) |
| 13th Dec. | 1,759 | 201 (159) | 364 (231) | 102 (113) | 94 (68) | 42 (52) |
| 20th Dec. | 2,415 | 205 (157) | 632 (208) | 163 ( 94) | 145 (70) | 70 (54) |
| 27th Dec. | 1,540 | 138 (165) | 352 (224) | 87 ( 96) | 72 (74) | 53 (52) |
| 3rd Jan. | 1,842 | 175 (165) | 351 (224) | 132 ( 96) | 94 (74) | 69 (52) |
Figures in brackets are the averages in the corresponding week over the previous ten years.
In early 1880 there appears to have been a whooping-cough epidemic in progress and
the deaths from this cause showed a marked increase. In 1880 again the rise in deaths
from all causes was greater in the week following the fog than in 1873, although the
deaths in the preceding weeks had been running at about the same level in both years.
In 1880, however, the fog wais associated with slightly colder weather than in 1873 or
1952. Below are shown the rates per million inhabitants of the deaths registered in the
weeks following the fogs in these three years.