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 1862
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham]
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18
Gentlemen,
During the month ending upon Saturday, the 22nd of November, 80 births and 31
deaths have been registered in the district.
The mortality which has taken place in that time is less than that of the last three
years, and is below the average of the last seven years (33), without taking into consideration
the increase of the population of the district; so that the state of health of the
inhabitants, as derived from the above source of information, may be said to be extremely
favourable.
Five deaths have taken place from epidemic disease, viz.—
30th October. Typhoid fever, Loampit Vale, Lewisham.
12th November. Measles, Rushey Green, Lewisham.
7th „ Malignant sore throat, Hither Green, Lewisham.
10th „ Scarlatina, Russell Street, Sydenham.
22nd „ Ditto Upper Sydenham.
Five deaths have taken place from inflammation of the air passages, and five from
consumption of the lungs.
Scarlet fever and measles have been very prevalent in the district.
Thirty-five children at the North Surrey District School, Anerly, have been afflicted
with measles, but are at present doing well.
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. | |||||
| Aug. 2 | 29.898 | 79°9 | 46°0 | 61°3 | S.W. | 1 | 0.03 |
| 9 | 29.587 | 76.8 | 48.7 | 59.7 | S.W. | 5 | 0.50 |
| 16 | 29.778 | 74.0 | 47.5 | 58.7 | S.W. | 3 | 0.94 |
| 28 | 29.803 | 74.8 | 46.8 | 59.6 | Variable. | 3 | 1.57 |
SEPTEMBER.
| DISTRICTS. | BIRTHS. | DEATHS. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | Males. | Females. | Total. | |
| Blackheath | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Lewisham | 13 | 10 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| Union Workhouse | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Sydenham | 16 | 11 | 27 | 9 | 8 | 17 |
| Penge | 4 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 38 | 33 | 71 | 22 | 16 | 38 |
Gentlemen,
Last month I had to comment upon the diminished mortality of the district; but I am
sorry to say that this month (from Saturday, 22nd November, to Saturday, 20th
December) it has increased considerably.
Sixty-five deaths have been registered during the above space of time—a number
which would not be much above the average estimated for the increase of the population
of the district, but still a larger mortality than we have before witnessed during the
same space of time.
The average mortality of the district for the December month would be 40.