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
Clerkenwell 1866
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Clerkenwell, St. James and St. John]
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In several instances, the knowledge that a patient had died of the disease, was derived from the most valuable "Daily Returns" of the Registrar General:—
| No. of Week | 31 Aug. 4 | 32 Aug. 11 | 33 Aug. 18 | 34 Aug. 25 | 35 Sep. 1 | 36 Sep. 8 | 37 Sep. 15 | 38 Sep. 22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | ||||||||
| Cholera | 4 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Choleraic Diarrhœa | - | 82 | 65 | 41 | 39 | 10 | 3 | 9 |
| Diarrhœa | 152 | 330 | 516 | 367 | 180 | 244 | 90 | 180 |
| Totals | 156 | 412 | 581 | 408 | 219 | 255 | 100 | 197 |
| No. of Week | 39 Sep. 29 | 40 Oct. 6 | 41 Oct. 13 | 42 Oct. 20 | 43 Oct. 27 | 44 Nov. 3 | 45 Nov. 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | Totals. | |||||||
| Cholera | 5 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 7 | - | - | 51 |
| Choleraic Diarrhœa | 10 | 15 | 24 | 9 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 331 |
| Diarrhœa | 192 | 82 | 55 | 28 | 86 | 8 | 7 | 2523 |
| Totals | 207 | 108 | 89 | 41 | 112 | 11 | 9 | 2905 |
It will thus be seen that 72 persons in all died of Cholera or
Choleraic Diarrhœa. It may be remarked here, that Choleraic
Diarrhoea, although unquestionably a form of Cholera, differs
from the typical form of the disease by its less malignant
severity, and the presence of color in the evacuations; whereas
in the true form the evacuations resemble rice-water, the collapse
is extreme, and the disease very rapidly fatal.