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

Shoreditch 1857

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]

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Table: The following Table exhibits the relative activity of the Diarrhoea and Fever poisons at different seasons of the year.

The following Table exhibits the relative activity of the Diarrhoea and Fever poisons at different seasons of the year.

First Quarter.Second Quarter
FeverDiarrhoeaAll CausesFeverDiarrhoeaAll Causes
18566215711676637
18573747063120691
Third Quarter.Fourth Quarter.
Fever.DiarrhoeaAll CausesFever.DiarrhoeaAll Causes
18565380580416691
1857511107536511789

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If we take a wider survey and embrace the mortality
of all London, we observe analogous phenomena.
It is familiar to every one that Diarrhoea is an autumnal
disease. It is not so generally remembered that Fever
may prevail more uniformly at all seasons. The useful
practical lesson that flows from this latter fact, is, that
a sanitary improvement which is efficacious against
Fever is a perennial blessing: it implies that the