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

Romford 1898

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Romford]

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Table: The following table shows the causes of death, arranged in alphabetical order. There were registered during the year deaths of 8 persons who had exceeded the age of 80 years, whilst 2 persons died at the age of over 90; 53 children died under the age of one year.

The following table shows the causes of death, arranged in alphabetical order. There were registered during the year deaths of 8 persons who had exceeded the age of 80 years, whilst 2 persons died at the age of over 90; 53 children died under the age of one year.

Cancer7
Diarrhœa, &c.33
Diphtheria1
Disease of Brain8
Disease of Heart17
Disease of Liver8
Disease of Kidney2
Injuries6
Erysipelas1
Measles4
Phthisis6
Pulmonary Affections (Bronchitis, &c.)22
Premature Birth (Debility, &c.)4
Rheumatic Fever1
Senile Decay15
Scarlet Fever1
Typhoid Fever3
Whooping Cough5
Other Diseases15
Total160

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Comparing the mortality (15.2 per 1000) during the past
year with previous years, will obviously prompt you to
require from me an opinion as to the cause of this rate being
higher than the average, during the past year. I think the
cause is to be found in the great prevalence of diseases of
the gastro-intestinal type (Diarrhœa, &c.), amongst young
children during the hot dry weather of the latter part of the
summer. This condition which was at that time very prevalent
over the whole of the country, is to be accounted for
by climatic influence, exaggerated to some extent by