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
West Ham 1896
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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9
of West Ham, indeed our zymotic death-rate of 3.9 was the highest
for the year with the exception of Salford (4.1).
This general high zymotic rate is a matter calling for serious
attention with a view to its improvement. It must be remembered,
however, that up till last year we were without any means of isolation
for these diseases other than small-pox, and even now our accommodation
is very much below that requisite.
In the Table below I give the monthly statistics for the four chief zymotic diseases usually isolated:—
| Month. | Small-pox. | Scarlatina. | Diphtheria. | Enteric fever | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notified Cases. | Deaths | Notified Cases. | Deaths | Notified Cases. | Deaths | Notified Cases. | Deaths | |
| January | 26 | 3 | 160 | 3 | 97 | 18 | 33 | 3 |
| February | 4 | — | 169 | 4 | 53 | 10 | 30 | 2 |
| March | 14 | 1 | 137 | 7 | 42 | 9 | 25 | 5 |
| April | 4 | — | 137 | 6 | 78 | 15 | 13 | 6 |
| May | 7 | — | 107 | 1 | 79 | 22 | 6 | — |
| June | 4 | —- | 155 | 3 | 80 | 6 | 19 | 4 |
| July | — | — | 138 | 6 | 67 | 13 | 43 | 7 |
| August | — | — | 118 | 6 | 70 | 14 | 55 | 8 |
| September | — | — | 174 | 7 | 84 | 19 | 74 | 15 |
| October | — | — | 114 | 3 | 111 | 23 | 32 | 9 |
| November | — | — | 104 | 9 | 75 | 19 | 25 | 3 |
| December | — | — | 88 | 2 | 58 | 23 | 18 | 2 |
| Totals | 59 | 4 | 1,601 | 57 | 894 | 191 | 373 | 64 |