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 1901
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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During the year under consideration the Shelter has been in use on thirteen occasions. The particulars relating thereto are as set out below.
| Date of Admission to Shelter. | Duration of Stay. | Number of Persons in Family. | Address of dwelling disinfected. | Disease. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1st | 1 day | 5 | 25, Turners Square | Scarlet Fever |
| April 23rd | 1 night | 3 | 12, Wickham Street | Typhoid Fever |
| May 30th | 1 „ | 5 | 10, Hoxton Market | Scarlet Fever |
| September 13th | 6 days | 2 | 31, Fanshaw Street | Small-pox |
| October 28th | 1 night | 4 | 109, Crondall Street | Diphtheria |
| October 31st | 1 „ | 4 | 22, Turners Place | Small-pox |
| November 18th | 8 days | 6 | 39, Dunloe Street | ,, |
| November 22nd | 5 „ | 5 | 15, Norris Street | ,, |
| December 2nd | 2 „ | 4 | 12, St. James Street | |
| December 2nd | 2 „ | 4 | 27, Branch Place | ,, |
| December 4th | 4 „ | 5 | 39, Dunloe Street | ,, |
| December 12th | 4 ,, | 4 | 39, Dunloe Street | ,, |
| December 18th | 1 night | 1 | 13, Bookham Street | ,, |
Altogether during the year 1901, 52 men, women and children had the use of the
shelter provided by the Council.
THE PUBLIC MORTUARY.
The bodies received into the mortuary numbered 420, including 3 of persons dying
from infectious disease which were removed by order of the Sanitary Authority. The
bodies received at the mortuary during the preceding five years were :—443 in 1900,
494 in 1899, 446 in 1898, 421 in 1897, and 404 in 1896. The number of post mortem
examinations made in the post mortem room attached to the mortuary was 215, as
compared with 229 in 1900, 232 in 1899, 164 in 1898, 159 in 1897, 128 in 1896, 109 in
1895, 60 in 1894, and 29 in 1893. The inquests held numbered 298, as compared with
324 in 1900, 354 in 1899, 339 in 1898, 331 in 1897, 301 in 1896, and 313 in 1895.
WATER SUPPLY.
The official figures for the rainfall in inches, measured at Oxford, were 22.16. The
mean rainfall for 35 years is given at 25.29 inches, the deficit was therefore 3.13 inches
with respect to this mean. No complaints were received as to shortness of supply
during the year 1901. Communications were received from the Water Companies
respecting the cutting off of water supplies at 146 premises, 36 on the East London
Water Company's district and 110 on that of the New River Company. These
intimations are sent in compliance with Section 49 of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, which requires a Water Company to - give notice in writing to the Sanitary
Authority of the district in which the house is situate within 24 hours where the
water is cut off by the Company from an inhabited dwelling-house. In many instances
the intimations received during 1901 referred to premises which had been vacated.