Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]
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amount of mortality is that of the respiratory organs. The deaths from this
class, exclusive of consumption which is arranged under the tubercular class,
were 408 or 15.9 per cent, of the total mortality. Consumption was fatal
to 237. Violence and accidents of various kinds proved fatal to 159, or 6.2
per cent, of the total deaths; of these 37 were the result of burns and scalds.
The excessive use of alcoholic drinks proved fatal to 9 persons; this number
gives but a very imperfect idea of the numerous victims to the degrading vice
of intoxication—many of the deaths arising from accident are attributable
to this cause, as are also many fatal diseases, such as diseases of the
liver, brain, and kidneys. The deaths in the workhouse were 372 or 14-5
per cent, of the total mortality in the district, or, in other words, it may be
said that 1 in every 7 of the total deaths occurred in the workhouse. The
deaths from fever in the workhouse were 89, viz., 26 in the quarter ending
March, 40 in that ending June (when the total mortality in that institution
was 120), 16 in the following quarter, and 7 in the Christmas quarter. Of the
total deaths in the workhouse the fever cases formed 23.9 per cent. The
total deaths in the workhouse during the preceding year were 287; the excess
of deaths, therefore, in the workhouse during the past year is 85. The deaths
in the London Hospital were 330 including those of 162 non-residents.
The deaths of children under 1 year of age were 498 or 19.5 per cent, of
the total mortality. The deaths under 5 years of age were 1,118 or 43.4 per
cent of the total deaths, and from the age of 60 and upwards 300 died, which
is 11.7 per cent, of the total mortality; of these only 50 or 1.9 per cent,
had reached their 80th year. The deaths of children, under 1 year old, are in
relation to the births (2,813) as about 1 in 6 or 17.7 per cent.; under 5 the
mortality is 39.7, or, in other words, out of every 1,000 born 397 die annually
before they are 5 years old, and 177 die within a year after their birth. This
is more than 3 per cent above the proportion in all England. If we
compare the number of deaths of young children under 5 years of age
with the entire population of all ages in the district (78,970) it will be seen that
14 die annually out of every 1,000 of the population. This mortality, however,
varies in the several Sub-Districts, as may be seen on referring to Table No. X.,
the lowest (Goodman's Fields) being 10, and the highest (Mile End New Town)
17 in every 1,000. In order to draw a just comparison, as regards infant
mortality, between the several Sub-Districts in relation to the sanitary condition
of the localities we must be acquainted with the exact number of
children in proportion to the adults in each district; the wealth and poverty
of the districts must also be considered, for, although an excess of infant mortality
is generally taken as a proof of a defective sanitary condition of a place,
the peculiar circumstances of each locality must be known before we can