London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Bethnal Green 1857

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green, Parish of St. Matthew ]

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expense of his sickness and funeral, and of the widow and
orphans he may happen to leave ! How many such were cut
off in the out-door divisions I do not know; but in 1839 the
number who died at 20—40 was 76, and that of the orphans
left behind 248, not one of whom had previously received
relief. The following deaths out of every 100 persons in the
under-mentioned places evidence " the depopulating influence
" exercised thereby. Without decimals they read
thus :—In Elizabeth Place 4, Ely Place 5, Butler's Buildings
5, Sherwood Place 5, Sweet Apple Square 5, Crescent
Place 6, Helen's Place 6, Miring's Place 6, Prospect Terrace
8, John's Court 8, and in Providence Place Russia Lane, 9 per
cent.; while the death-rate of the whole Parish was but 2'23 !
These warn us like " the handwriting on the wall " that we
have yet much sanitary work to do !
Finally, the Statistics of 1857 show—
1. That the mortality of Bethnal Green reached 22 per
1000, or 5 beyond the normal rate.
2. That the epidemic mortality was in excess of London,
both in percentage on total deaths, and in its ratio by
population.
3. That the deaths out of each 1000 living, under 5 years
of age, were 14 above the average English rate.
4. That the mean lifetime was 37, and the mean age at
death 211 years.
5. That life was longer by 9 months, and that of adults by
5 years, than when reported by Mr. Chadwick and
Dr. Arnott.
2. Pauper Sickness.
In comparison with the year 1856, the health of Bethnal
Green—whether tested by Deaths or Pauper Sickness—was
at a discount in 1857. The determining causes were doubtless
atmospheric, which intensified the prevalence of the
Zymotic and Respiratory classes of disease. The number of
New Cases attended by the 6 Poor Law Medical Officers was