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

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Shoreditch 1856

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]

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5
TABLE I.
Has been constructed on the same plan as a similar one in preceding reports. In
order to have a clearer idea of the proportional mortality of Shoreditch, it is necessary
to bear in mind, that the population of Shoreditch is estimated to be as nearly as
possible one-twentieth part of that of the whole metropolis; it is obvious therefore,
that whenever the mortality of Shoreditch exceeds one-twentieth part of the gross
metropolitan mortality, the health-balance turns against this district.
I abstain at present from making any deductions from the meteorological
columns, in connection with the sickness and mortality returns. It will be seen that,
while Shoreditch contributed 1/24 only of the gross metropolitan mortality, or somewhat
less than its proportion, the deaths from zymotic diseases amounted to 1/17, or
considerably more than the due proportion. A similar discrepancy has been pointed
out in my previous Reports. If we subtract 12 deaths from fever which took place
in St. Luke's Workhouse, but which are included in the mortality returns of Shoreditch,
we reduce the proportional zymotic mortality to 1/19; this rate approaches more
nearly to the average rate of the metropolis, but still leaves a marked discrepancy
between the general death-rate, and the special death-rate from zymotics. This circumstance
has led me to pursue the analysis into the deaths from zymotic diseases more
minutely. Tables II and III have been constructed for this purpose.

TABLE II.

Shewing the Mortality from six Epidemic diseases in each of the six Registration Sub-districts, during the 13 weeks ending 27th December, 1856.

REGISTRATION SUB-DISTRICT.Small-pox.Measles.Scarlatina.Hooping Cough.Diarrhoea.Typhus.Total of Epidemics.
1. Holywell...246...416
2. St, Leonard's15842828
3. Hoxton New Town Including St. Luke's Workhouse...14111*2138
4. Hoxton Old Town...576...422
5. Haggerstone West Including Shoreditch Workhouse...17631229
6. Haggerstone East......11114
Totals1 1141334750137

*This includes 12 cases in St. Luke's Workhouse.