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
Bethnal Green 1898
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green]
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10
In these circumstances it would be manifestly unfair to credit
these deaths to the East sub-district in which the Infirmary is
situated, so I have apportioned them amongst the three sub-districts,
taking the number of known deaths as a basis of calculation.
The deaths in each sub-district, corrected by distribution and apportionment, were as under :—
| North (1,101 and 21) | 1,122 |
| South (837 and 16) | 853 |
| East ( 880 and 17) | 897 |
| Total | 2,872 |
DEATH RATE.
Upon the basis of the estimated population I calculate a death
rate of 22.23. This is an increase of nearly one (.87) per thousand
over the rate of the previous year, but it is also 3½ in
excess of the corresponding rate for the whole of London. This
was only 18.7, a rate practically identical with that of the previous
year.
The mortality in the sub-districts was as under:—
East I9.6
North 22.7
South 24.9
The South sub-district still continues to be the unhealthiest
portion of the parish, with a mortality of 25 per 1000. This district
is the most densely populated of the three ; it contains no open
spaces other than a few disused churchyards, and has by far the
largest proportion of old worn-out houses. The East sub-district
is the healthiest, it has a mortality only very slightly above the
average of the rest of London. Here are situated Victoria Park,
Museum Gardens, Bethnal Green Gardens, and Meath Gardens.