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EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
To the Board of Works, Fulham District.
Gentlemen,
In taking a review of the Sanitary condition of the Fulham District
through the past year, it is satisfactory to observe that on comparison with the
general health of London we have much reason for congratulation. The year
1863 has been somewhat characterized by an excess of sickness throughout
the greater portion not only of the Metropolitan Districts but of the country at
large. Diseases of a Zymotic character have prevailed, and these have not been
limited to town localities. Villages and watering places have had an undue share
of sickness and mortality, and quadrupeds as well as bipeds have suffered from
the epidemic influences.
The general mortality of London (2.452 percent) has been above the average.
The excess has arisen principally from diseases of a Zymotic character, Small
Pox and Scarlatina being the most marked contributors to it.
The records of the mortality in the Fulham District for the year 1863 show a
total of 929 deaths, against 922 for the previous year, an increase of only seven.
This increase occurring during what may be called an epidemic year, and
taking into account the increase of population, is certainly not large, and specially
when wc lake it in connection with the extensive Main Drainage Works
in The course of execution in Fulham, through which a considerable temporary
influx of labouring people has arisen.
There are no direct means by which a correct estimate of the increase of
population, either of London in general, or of any particular district of it,
from year to year, can be arrived at, but calculations upon so large a scale,
based upon existing elements of known extent, seldom differ materially from
the actual results determined at the various Censuses. The Registrar General
in his Annual Report for 1863, says: "The population of London is so vast,
that it is subject to no accidental fluctuations; yet as the tide in some years
carries more and sometimes less water from the sea into the Thames, so in some
years the stream of new comers into the population rises above and sometimes
falls below the standard. The observations on the movement of the population
have hitherto given, as the result of income and outgo, clear proofs of the
greater strength of the influx, and judging by the past, about 44,269 souls
were added to the population in the year 1863: 31,062 by excess of births,
13,207 by cxccss of immigrants over emigrants."
Experience has proved that Hammersmith and Fulham quite keep pace with
this ordinary general increase in their several populations. The more active
development of their individual handicrafts gives us annually a large accession
to our labouring people, whilst the great extension of building operations
naturally contributes many of the better classes.
The diseases of the Zymotic class which have prevailed, as shown by their
effects on the mortality of Fulham and Hammersmith during the past year, have
been Measles and Diarrhoea, the former giving 33, the latter 43; 36 deaths
have occurred from Scarlatina, and 27 from various types of continued fever.