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
Lewisham 1858
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]
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METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
| Week ending. | Weight of air. Barometer corrected. Mean inches. | Temperature of Air. Thermometer. | Prevailing winds. | Rainy days. | Amount of rain in inches. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest. | Lowest. | Mean of daily readings. | |||||
| Jan. 29 | 29.609 | 51°7 | 33°9 | 43°7 | S.W. | 3 | 0.21 |
| Feb. 5 | 29.583 | 52.2 | 30.5 | 39.6 | S.W. | 4 | 0.40 |
| 12 | 29.353 | 52.2 | 30.8 | 42.4 | S.W. | 7 | 0.48 |
| 19 | 29.991 | 59.0 | 34.0 | 45.1 | S.W. | 2 | 0.09 |
I have the honour to remain, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
F. E. WILKINSON,
Medical Officer of Health.
Sydenham, 24th February, 1859.
| Districts. | BIRTH. | DEATHS. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | Males. | Females. | Total. | |
| Blackheath | 3 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Lewisham | 15 | 11 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Sydenham | 15 | 17 | 32 | 7 | 9 | 16 |
| Union Workhouse | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Penge | 6 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| North Surrey School | — | — | — | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | | 39 | 38 | 77 | 18 | 27 | 45 |
Gentlemen,
The returns presented to you in the annexed tables are for the five weeks terminating
upon Saturday, the 26th March.
The mortality registered being unusually large for this period, owing to the excess in
Sydenham, in which ward the average of the past three years has been 7 only, but is
this time more than double, viz., 16.
The number of deaths registered arc (exclusive of Penge), 38.
Seven deaths have occurred from epidemic disease, viz.:—
One scarlet fever, Hurst Terrace, Blackheath Ward.
One hooping cough, Lewis Grove, Lewisham.
One ditto, Upper Sydenham.
One ditto, West Kent Park, Sydenham.
One ditto, Forest Hill, Sydenham.
One measles, Raglan Street, Sydenham.
One fever, Perry Hill, Sydenham.
Twenty deaths have occurred in children under 6 years of age, and nine in those
whose ages range from 60 to 85.
Hooping cough is prevalent in the district. Measles also still continues, although
much lessened in intensity.
A few places in the district require to be brought under your notice, and to which I
now request your attention.
Orchard Place, midway between Lewisham and Sydenham, is situated below the level