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 1900
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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30
TUBERCULOSIS.
Tuberculosis was responsible for 343 deaths, including 229 due to phthisis or
consumption, 20 to tabes mersenterica or consumption of the bowels in infants, 45 to
tuberculous meningitis, and 49 to other forms of tuberculosis. About one-eighth of
the total mortality amongst the inhabitants of Shoreditch in 1900 resulted from the
various forms of tuberculosis, and the death-rate was 2.94 per 1,000 inhabitants.
In the following table are contained, as far as I have been able to obtain them, the deaths yearly registered as due to the various forms of tuberculous disease, from 1856 down to the end of 1900:—
| Year. | Deaths. | Year. | Deaths. | Year. | Deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 | 460 | 1879 | 470 | 1891 | 402 |
| 1857 | 542 | 1880 | 458 | 1892 | 392 |
| 1858 | 498 | 1881 | 458 | 1893 | 384 |
| 1859 | 499 | 1882 | 431 | 1894 | 362 |
| 1860 | 498 | 1883 | 436 | 1895 | 394 |
| 1861 | 552 | 1884 | 431 | 1896 | 301 |
| 1862 | 535 | 1885 | 447 | 1897 | 321 |
| 1863 | 580 | 1886 | 422 | 1898 | 342 |
| 1864 | 637 | 1888 | 381 | 1899 | 353 |
| 1877 | 430 | 1889 | 386 | 1900 | 343 |
| 1878 | 475 | 1890 | 430 |
From the above table it would appear that during recent years deaths attributed
to tuberculosis have been considerably less numerous than formerly. Taking the nine
years 1856 to 1864 on an average 533 deaths were annually ascribed to tuberculosis,
the death-rate being 4.2 per 1,000 inhabitants; during the ten years 1877 to 1886 the
deaths averaged 445, the death-rate being 3.5 per 1,000; since 1888 the average has
fallen to 370 yearly, the death-rate being 3.0 per 1,000 inhabitants.
Doubtless there has been a real decrease in the mortality from tuberculosis, but I
am strongly inclined to believe that increasing accuracy of diagnosis during recent years
has been to a considerable extent the cause of the decrease in the number of cases which is
observable in the above table, deaths which formerly were attributed to some form of
tuberculosis being now returned under some other and more appropriate heading.
The Borough Council disinfects free of charge after cases of tuberculosis, and
during the year disinfection was carried out in connection with 81 houses in which
persons suffering from tuberculosis, principally consumption, had lived or died.
INFLUENZA.
Judging from the numbers of deaths, the above disorder was prevalent in
Shoreditch during the months of January, February, March, and April. The deaths
numbered 52, as compared with 35 in 1899, 22 in 1898, 16 in 1897, 7 in 1896, 57 in
1895, 15 in 1894, and 36 in 1893.
The deaths from influenza in London during 1900 numbered 1950, as compared
with 1817 in 1899. The deaths were most numerous during the months of January,
February, March, and April.