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
St Martin-in-the-Fields 1861
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Martin-in-the-Fields]
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30
Report on the Health of the Pariah of St. Mar tin-in-1 heFields
for the Quarter ending March 29, 1861.
The number of deaths during the first quarter of the year 1861 was 162, in the corresponding quarters of 1860 and 1859, 177 and 189.
| 1861. | 1860. | 1859. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths in the First Quarter | 162 | 177 | 189 |
| The largest number of Deaths from any one disease (Bronchitis) | 37 | 31 | 33 |
| Deaths from all Diseases of the Lungs | 50 | 47 | 33 |
| „ Epidemic Diseases | 15 | 18 | 31 |
| „ Consumption | 12 | 30 | 26 |
| ,, Tubercular Diseases | 23 | 28 | 36 |
| „ Abdominal Diseases | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| ,, Diseases of Heart | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| ,, Old Age | 16 | 20 | 16 |
| Deaths in Children under 5 | 60 | 61 | 65 |
| „ Persons over 60 | 38 | 37 | 40 |
| ,, at intermediate Ages | 64 | 79 | 74 |
From these facts we see that, although the intense
cold of January was very fatal, and caused an unusual
number of deaths from diseases of the lungs than in
either of the two previous years, yet on the whole quarter
there has been a remarkable diminution in the total
number of deaths, this diminution arising chiefly from
fewer deaths in the epidemic class of diseases, viz. :
measles, whooping cough, and scarlatina, precisely the
class which ought to diminish as our sanitary measures
operate. In well managed families deaths from measles
and whooping cough are comparatively rare, while
among those who pay less regard to the general laws
of health, or who live in crowded localities, deaths from
these diseases are out of all proportion more frequent.
There has been an unusually large proportion during
the quarter of deaths among children under the age of
5, and this is the age among the poorer classes when