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

Whitechapel 1868

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]

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Table: TABLE VI.Total number of the undermentioned Diseases, recorded in the Books of the Medical Officers of the Union, from 1860 to 1868, and the total cases of illness.

TABLE VI.

Total number of the undermentioned Diseases, recorded in the Books of the Medical Officers of the Union, from 1860 to 1868, and the total cases of illness.

Year.Small-Pox.Measels.Scarlatina.Hooping-Cough.Diarrhoea and Dysentery.Fever.Cholera.Erysipelas.Puerperal Fever.Carbuncle.Bronchitis and Cattarrh.Pneumonia and Pleuritis.Croup.Rheumatic Fever.Ague.Delirium Tremens.Total Cases.
1860655209383801190152198451418741611392
186186701003881452109...75198031049518213721
18621135251181531106822156...455713591624414270
186325380305169113946417416533134122011814561
1861214821562171127295102167869561413114932
18658651164280134257349721745123...1412115594
186626167919721716643435862...7516244766121316502
1867254155602191471308565156122285183101017181
186893323541411626586880251502083157181017117

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On perusing the above Table, it will be seen, that the cases of illness among the pauper
population has been annually increasing since 1860, and, on referring to my Reports for the
years 1857 and 1858, I find that the cases of illness, which were attended by the Medical
Officers of the Union, were 10,708 and 11,718 respectively, while in 1856 they were only 9897.
The great annual increase, as is shown in the above returns, cannot be explained on the supposition
that there has been an increase of the population, for the census returns show that the
population of this District, so far from having increased, is less by two or three thousand than it
was in 1857.

Table: TABLE VII.Showing the Births, Deaths, Deaths of Non-residents, Deaths in the London Hospital and in the Workhouse, in each Year, from 1857 to 1868.

TABLE VII.

Showing the Births, Deaths, Deaths of Non-residents, Deaths in the London Hospital and in the Workhouse, in each Year, from 1857 to 1868.

Year.Total Births.Total Deaths.Deaths of Non-Residents.Total Deaths in the London Hospital.Total Deaths in the Workhouse.
1857 (53 weeks)28682350117338272
185827122144140325269
185928262321189351239
186027162302163326282
186126862331179366287
186228132551187330369
1863 (53 weeks)27962764181118321
186128032792212153411
186526812532208116362
186625618495132733413
186726862331241445331
186826112519324536376

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The Deaths of persons resident in this District, which occurred in the London Hospital in
1868 were, exclusive of those from accident, 50. The deaths from accident and from sudden
death were 162.