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 1860
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]
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The sewer intended to meet the Upper Norwood line, and thus remove a large quantity
of sewage allowed to accumulate upon the north west side of the Anerly water, has been
conveyed through the Anerly Gardens to the south east side of this portion of canal;
but it would be extremely dangerous, at this time of year, to drain the water off for the
purpose of continuing the sewer across, as it would expose a large quantity of mud
mixed with deposit from sewage, which, when acted upon by the sun's rays, would be
poisonous to the inhabitants of the district adjoining.
A sewer is required along the Anerly Road on cither side of the railway; there are
many good houses here with no system of drainage.
Meteorological tables and tables of mortality are appended as usual.
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. | |||||
| April 25 | 29.855 | 58°3 | 28°5 | 4l°2 | N.E. | 3 | 0.45 |
| May 5 | 30.090 | 68.5 | 31.0 | 50.7 | N.E. | - | 0.00 |
| 12 | 29.639 | 66.8 | 32.5 | 52.2 | S.W. | 4 | 0.64 |
| 19 | 29.600 | 69.8 | 43.6 | 54.4 | S.W. | 6 | 2.22 |
| 26 | 29.850 | 76.5 | 45.3 | 59.0 | S.W. | 2 | 0.20 |
JUNE.
| DISTRICTS. | BIRTHS. | DEATHS. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | Males. | Females | Total. | |
| Blackheath | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Lewisham | 11 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 16 |
| Union Workhouse | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Sydenham | 13 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Penge | 8 | 8 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Total | 34 | 16 | 50 | 20 | 18 | 38 |
Gentlemen,
During the four weeks ending upon the 23rd of June, fifty births and thirty-eight
deaths have been registered.
Taking into consideration the increase of population, the mortality of the district has
not been above the average of the last five years, although in the Penge ward an unusual
number of deaths (ten) has been recorded.
Six deaths have taken place from epidemic disease, namely—
2nd June. Smallpox, King Street, Blackheath.
7th „ Fever, Blackheath Hill.
11th „ Measles, Lewisham.
13th „ Measles, Penge.
13th „ Ditto, ditto.
13th ,, Ditto, ditto.
Several cases of measles have occurred in the district; but, with these exceptions, we
are remarkably free from epidemic disease.
One case ot smallpox has been admitted into the Union Workhouse, also a case of
measles and scarlet fever; but all these have been sent in from parts of the Union
beyond this district.