London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Whitechapel 1885
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]
This page requires JavaScript
10
The Metropolitan Asylums Board Managers have issued to each
Sanitary Authority a Weekly Return of cases of Small-pox and
Fevers admitted into their Hospitals.
This return, which I valuevery much, informs me that since February 27th, and up to December 31st last, there were admitted into the Managers' Hospitals, Ships and Camps, cases of Small-pox from the Eastern District, as under:—
| NAME of vestry ok district board. | Population (last Census). | Total Admissions. |
|---|---|---|
| Whitechapel | 71,363 | 33 |
| Bethnal Green | 126,981 | 107 |
| Poplar | 156,510 | 277 |
| St. George's-in-the-East | 47,157 | 61 |
| Stepney | 58,613 | 69 |
| Mile End Old Town | 105,613 | 109 |
| Shoreditch | 126,591 | 138 |
This comparative Table, so favourable to the Whitechapel
District, recalls to my mind a statement contained in the Fourteenth
Annual Report of the Local Government Board, 1884—1885, from
which I quote, "In certain of the Metropolitan Districts the Vaccin"ation
Acts are carried out with much completeness, with the result
"that very few children remain un-vaccinated, or are removed from
"the District before their Vaccination is secured. For instance, in
"the Whitechapel and Woolwich Unions the proportion of cases not
"finally accounted for in 1882 was 1.6 and 1.4 per cent. respectively.
"In some other Unions, such as those of Poplar and Fulham, the
"default was only 4.0 and 4.1 per cent. respectively. On the other
"hand, in Shoreditch, where the Vaccination Officer was so inefficient
"that he has been replaced, the proportion of default was no less
"than 12 per cent., and in Paddington, St. Giles', and St. George's
"Bloomsbury, and some other Districts, it was also unduly large."
When we consider that the population of the Woolwich Union is
almost entirely military, or under government employ, it will be seen
that the Vacination Officer has less trouble than falls to the lot of
other officers not so favoured. On page 15 (Table F) of the Appendix
will be found the statistics appertaining to the District Vaccination
for the year, for which I am indebted to Mr. Sherman, in justice to
whom I have extracted the preceding particulars.