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
Kensington 1879
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]
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The subjoined table shows the quarterly numbers of deaths of the sexes in the sub.districts:—
| Kensington Town Sub.district. | Bkompton Sub.district. | Grand Total. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | Males. | Females. | Total. | |
| 333 | 377 | 710 | 81 | 115 | 196 | 906 |
| 281 | 293 | 574 | 88 | 97 | 185 | 759 |
| 224 | 219 | 443 | 57 | 54 | 111 | 554 |
| 290 | 287 | 577 | 85 | 85 | 170 | 747 |
| 1,128 | 1,176 | 2,304 | 311 | 351 | 662 | 2,966 |
The deaths in the first and fourth, or colder quarters of the year,
(1653) exceeded by 340 the number in the intermediate second and
third, or warmer quarters (1313). This great difference was largely due
to the fatal prevalence in winter of lung diseases, combined with the
comparative lowness of the mortality in summer from infantile diarrhoea.
The mean temperature of the air during the winter and summer quarters
respectively was 38°9 and 53°7 Fahr.
The subjoined table shows the death.rate in 13 periods, corresponding with my monthly reports; and the mean temperature of the air:—
| DATE OF REPORT. | Death.rate per 1,000 living. | Decennial average. | Mean temperature of the air. | Decennial average. | Above or below average. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For five weeks to Feb. 1, 1879 | 24.7 | 20.6 | 33.1 | 40.0 | — 6.9 |
| „ four ,, Mar. 1, „ | 20.3 | 21.6 | 38.5 | 40.0 | — 1.5 |
| ,, ,, ,, Mar. 29, „ | 24.6 | 21.2 | 40.8 | 41.3 | — 0.5 |
| „ „ April 26, „ | 24.5 | 20.3 | 43.3 | 47.9 | — 4.6 |
| ,, ,, ,, May 24, „ | 18.5 | 17.9 | 47.1 | 51.0 | — 3.9 |
| „ „ „ June 21, „ | 16.7 | 16.7 | 55.5 | 57.4 | — 1.9 |
| ,, ,, July 19.,, | 13.4 | 18.0 | 56.8 | 62.8 | — 6.0 |
| „ „ ,,Aug. 16, „ | 14.8 | 19.5 | 61.0 | 63.2 | — 2.2 |
| ,, ,, ,, Sept. 13, ,, | 13.1 | 16.3 | 57.9 | 59.9 | — 2.0 |
| ,, „ „ Oct. 11, „ | 15.0 | 15.6 | 55.4 | 53.5 | + 1.9 |
| » n a Nov. 8, „ | 15.6 | 18.3 | 46.1 | 46.1 | av: |
| „ „ „ Dec. 6, „ | 19.3 | 21.4 | 34.5 | 40.3 | — 5.8 |
| „ „ „ Jan. 3, 1880 | 19.6 | 21.6 | 35.2 | 36 2 | — 1.0 |
| Averages (whole year) | 18.7 | 19.2 | 46.2 | 49.2 |
The detailed causes of death are set out in Table III (Appendix),
in 13 divisions, according to age. The ages at death (excluding the