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14 Parish of St. George the Martyr, South/work.
Respiratory Diseases.
TABLE IX.
Sub-District.
No. of Deaths—1897.
Total.
No. of Deaths—1898.
Total.
Bronchitis
Pneumonia
Phthisis
Bronchitis
Pneumonia Phthisis.
Borough Road
47
41
67
155
47
42
70
159
London Road
39
34
42
115
41
34
70
145
Kent Road
71
48
63
182
58
48
52
158
Total
157
123
172
452
146
124
192
462
In 1892 the total mortality under this beading was 539, which fell to 419 in
1893, and to 363 in 1894, and has risen to 394 in 1895, to 372 in 1896, to 452 in
1897. and to 462 in 1898. These figures represent a rate above that of the whole of
London. That excess may, T think, be somewhat closely connected with the dense
acreage-population of the district, together with its large proportion of tenement
dwellers and the prevalence of indoor occupation.
A good deal of the mortality among young children is due to lung troubles, which
often follow measles and whooping cough.
The returns of deaths from consumption are not so heavy as one would expect in
so densely crowded and poverty-stricken a district. At the same time it should he
noted that the registrars have to depend for these figures on the death certificates,
and there can be no doubt that a certain number of cases are not correctly described.
This observation applies especially to alcoholism, and to such hereditary and constitutional
disorders as syphilis and consumption.
Of late widespread attention has been drawn to the prevention of tubercular
diseases, a subject of vast importance to the community. Roughly speaking, lung
consumption accounts for one out of every eight deaths in the United Kingdom, an
average that is exceeded in your parish. The disease results from the invasion of the
human body by a minute bacillus, which may be breathed into the air passages in the
form of dust or bo conveyed in the flesh or milk of infected animals. All that weakens
an individual, makes him less able to resist the invasion of the tubercle bacillus, hence
the value of a good environment. The prevention of consumption may bo considered
under the headings of:—
(a) General hygiene.
(b) The care of infected persons.
(c) Supervision of meat and milk supplies.
(a) General Hygiene.—This comes under the ordinary sanitary administration
of your parish, but special stress should be laid upon the need of good ventilation and
drainage, both of houses and workshops and upon the dangers of overcrowding. The
great natural agencies in the destruction of the bacilli are fresh air and sunlight.
(b) I he care of Infected Persons.— Every consumptive person is an active
center of infection, just as he would bo if suffering from typhoid fever or small-pox.
The most common way in which the dangerous bacilli are spread is by means of the
expectortions orations. I he latter become dangerous when dried and blown about as dust.
Persons suffering from the complaint, therefore, should always, both indoors and out,
use aspecial spitcup, the contents of which should be burnt, or else he should spit
into a paper handkerchief, which may be similarly disposed of. Under a rational
systemof tratment, isolaition of phthisical patients is not necessary, but notification