London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St Saviour's (Southwark) 1866

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Saviour's]

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9
supply from pure sources, would be found one of the most powerful
???gents in the extermination of Cholera from the Metropolis.
The comparative immunity of the Saint Saviour's District from
???is fearful disease, is attested by the following facts. In the year
??? 849 the deaths from Cholera were 539, in 1851, 491, and in 1866
???2, including 11 deaths in Guy's Hospital of persons who had been
Deceived from other parishes. The figures represent a mortality in
the rates of 152. 131, and 9 to every 10,000 living persons. Hut if
the 11 persons whose deaths are not properly due to the Saint
???aviour's District are eliminated, there remain only 21 deaths, or
about 6 to every 10.000 living persons. The mortality therefore,
timing the two previous outbreaks, was more than 20 times greater
than during the past year.
It is not inconsistent with a grateful recognition of so merciful an
exemption from this terrible Epidemic, to believe that the various
measures which have been adopted to combat the disease, have been
Instrumental in producing so desirable a result. Upon the appearance
of Cholera in the East of London, a special meeting of this
Board was convened, and it was resolved to empower the Sanitary
Committee to take immediate steps, to check, if possible, the
progress of the Epidemic, and in conformity with the directions
of the Privy Council, the following arrangements were made. Two
additional Medical Visitors were appointed to devote their whole
time to the performance of duties apportioned to them : also three
Inspectors of Nuisances ; four Chemists to supply all medicines
prescribed for the sick poor gratuitously, and a place of accommodation
for the reception of persons attacked by the disease was
provided. A house-to-house inspection was instituted, and in three
months the whole of the District was visited once, and many portions of
it several times. In addition to the services of the Medical Officers
of the Union, the Medical Visitors reported over 3,000 attendances
upon persons suffering from Diarrhoea and Cholera, and over 2,000
separate cases of Diarrhoea and 75 of Choleraic Diarrhoea were
prescribed for. Disinfectants were gratuitously supplied to poor *
persons who chose to apply for them, and liberally used by the
Inspectors. The Medical Visitors were empowered to administer
wine and brandy, and various forms of nourishment, in such cases
as they deemed tit. Whenever necessary the compulsory powers of
the Board were exercised in the removal of nuisances, and the
destruction of whatever was likely to carry infection.
The amount of Sanitary work done will be found fully recorded in
the Statistical Table appended to this report. Notwithstanding
however the large amount of time and labor expended upon Sanitary
measures, it is satisfactory to record that the district was at first
found to contrast favorably with that of former epidemic periods,
and that there was a very general desire on the part of the
inhabitants to second the efforts of your Officers.