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 1858
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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above 70°, the mortality from Diarrhoea week by week stood thus:
| Week ending | Temperature of the Thames Water (mean). | Deaths from Diarrhoea. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1857. | 1858. | 1857. | 1858 | |
| June 5 | 62°. 1 | 62°. 0 | 26 | 18 |
| „ 12 | 63°.4 | 65°.8 | 20 | 18 |
| „ 19 | 62°.7 | 69°.6 | 35 | 31 |
| „ 26 | 66°.2 | 09°.7 | 33 | 54 |
| July 3 | 69°.4 | 66°.6 | 65 | 94 |
| „ 10 | 63°.7 | 63°.2 | 133 | 129 |
From this table it is seen at a glance, that precisely
as the temperature of the water fell, the mortality from
Diarrhoea increased; and the non-relation of the Thames
to this disease is more clearly marked by the continued
rise of Diarrhoea in the week ending July 10th, when
the Thames had become completely purified by the
moderate rain-falls.
Thus Diarrhoea will not come before its season, no
matter what the temperature of the Thames may be.
Again, during this terrible month of June, when
the influence of the Thames might be supposed to be
greatest, the mortality from Diarrhoea equalled 1 in
1000 in the North districts, the most remote from the
river; and only .6 in 1000 in the south districts, which
were most directly within the influence of the river.