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
Ealing 1897
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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during which time, with only one or two exceptions, we show a generally progressive improvement in the matter of diminished deaths from all causes.
| 1897 | 1896 | 1895 | 1894 | 1893 | 1892 | 1891 | 1890 | 1889 | 1888 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Births | 589 | 651 | 574 | 532 | 564 | 492 | 605 | 514 | 492 | 510 |
| Deaths | 308 | 308 | 339 | 271 | 307 | 316 | 338 | 352 | 224 | 250 |
| Excess of Births over Deaths | 281 | 343 | 235 | 261 | 257 | 176 | 267 | 162 | 248 | 260 |
| General death-rate per 1000 | 9.3 | 9.7 | 11.2 | 9.6 | 11.13 | 11.92 | 13.7 | 14.4 | 10.6 | 10.9 |
| Zymotic death-rate per 1000 | 14 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.66 | 1.01 | 0.61 | 2.3 | 0.78 | 0.39 |
I do not propose to go into minute details as to the
distribution of the mortality as it affects the four Wards;
suffice it to say that the North-West Ward, as including
the most densely populated and poorer part of our district,
shows the highest total, viz , 93, while the North-East Ward
exhibits the lowest—58. These statistics are elaborated in
Table A. This table also gives the deaths at various ages and
from various causes, by which it will be noticed that chest
affections claim the largest number.
Zymotic Disease.
A few remarks relative to zymotic disorders will be
appropriate here, and I am glad to report a considerable
diminution in mortality from these complaints. During
1897 there were 33 deaths from the seven principal zymotic
diseases as against 56 of the previous vear. This reduction
is greatly due to the lessened fatality arising from whooping cough and measles.
| 1897. | 1896. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Smallpox | 0 | Smallpox | 0 |
| Scarlatina | 1 | Scarlatina | 2 |
| Diphtheria | 4 | Diphtheria | 2 |
| Enteric Fever | 4 | Enteric Fever | 1 |
| Measles | 2 | Measles | 16 |
| Whooping Cough | 2 | Whooping Coughs | 22 |
| Diarrhœa | 20 | Diarrhœa | 13 |
I may note that the twenty deaths attributed to diarrhœa
were, with one exception, of infants, and occurred during July
and August. I am of opinion that the causation of these
attacks is in many instances due to injudicious feeding
rather than insanitary surroundings, aided of course, by the
presence of a high temperature during those particular
months.