London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

St Giles (Camberwell) 1861

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell]

This page requires JavaScript

19
the death-rate from 2.28 to 15.5; and this locality so far from
being the unhealthiest, would thus actually appear to be the
healthiest of the sub-districts of the parish. But when we
have to deal with comparatively small numbers, as we do when
contrasting sub-districts with one another, we are likely to be
led astray by all kinds of errors, against some of which it is
almost impossible to guard. Hence I do not at all venture to
draw the primd facie inference that Camberwell during 1861
was really more healthy than Dulwich, on many other grounds*
in fact, I do not believe it was; but I am fairly justified in
coming to the conclusion, that of the four sub-districts, Dulwich
and Camberwell were the healthiest, St. George's and
Peckham the least healthy.
Some differences will as usual be observed in the number of
persons dying in the different seasons of the year (Table Y.) ;
thus, in the first three months 387 persons died, in the second
349, in the third 336, and in the fourth 347. The differences
however were slight. The mortality was greatest, as it generally
is, in the first or most inclement quarter; and least in the
third quarter, as again we generally find, unless the mortality
has been unduly raised by the effects of autumnal epidemics.
As regards causes of death, (Table III.) it will be seen
that 99 deaths are registered in the tables under the head of
"violence, privation, poison and premature birth25 under
that of ' fever 9 under that of "dysentery and acute diarrhoea
(not of infants) and cholera38 under that of "scarlet
fever, diphtheria and cynanche maligna;" 2 under that of
"small pox 8 under that of "erysipelas, pyaemia and puerperal
fever164 under that of " diarrhoea, bronchitis, and
pneumonia of infants, under three years of age 102 under
that of "measles, hooping cough, and croup 114 under that
of " hydrocephalus and convulsions of infancy 198 under that