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 1884

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]

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Table: The following Table is based upon figures which have been extracted from the Registrar-General's Weekly Returns for the year 1884, and each District appertaining to those belonging to the official "East Districts" is included:—

The following Table is based upon figures which have been extracted from the Registrar-General's Weekly Returns for the year 1884, and each District appertaining to those belonging to the official "East Districts" is included:—

NAME OF DISTRICT.Total Deaths registered in the District.Deaths from Zymotic Diseases.Proportion per 1000 of deaths from Zymotic diseases to total deaths.
Bethnal Green2894483166.8
St. George-in-the-East1192172144.2
Limehouse1350248183.7
Mile End Old Town2223384172.7
Poplar3758544144.8
Shoreditch2909485166.7
Whitechapel2215274123.7

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The infant mortality statistics for the 53 weeks of the year 1884,
show that in London the deaths of infants under the age of one year
equalled 25.7 per cent. of the total deaths, and 15.6 of the registered
births; whilst in the Whitechapel District they were equal to 25.7
per cent. of the total deaths, and 17.7 per cent. of the registered
births. The deaths of children under five years of age, including
the above for London, equalled 43.3 per cent. of the total deaths, and
26.2 per cent. of the registered births; whilst for the Whitechapel
District they equalled 43.2 per cent. of the total deaths, and 27.2 per
cent, of the registered births.
In instituting comparisons with reference to the above figures,
and also with reference to the deaths from zymotic diseases, it must
be remembered that in the third quarter of the year our increased
deaths from infantile diarrhoea placed our District at considerable
disadvantage compared with some other Districts. I stated in my
Report for that Quarter that such deaths belonged to the class of
"diseases of digestive system" and not to the class of "zymotic
diseases," because it is most generally caused by the administration
to infants of foods which they are unable to assimilate. That this is
so every medical man could bring abundant evidence to demonstrate.