Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch, Parish of St. Leonard]
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up to the age of 75; the largest number occurred in the decade from
65 to 75. There were only 37 deaths from 85 to 95, and 1 over 95.
29.5 per cent of the deaths occurred during the greatest activity of
life, and only 7.7 per cent of the deaths occurred over 75.
Seeing that the mortality is so great in childhood, and at the most
useful period of life, the sanitarian may ask of the economist, is not
the present system a most costly one; but is there not ample evidence,
and are not the above facts of the death rate from 25 to 65 years of
age, of themselves sufficient to show, that money spent in sanitary
improvements, will prove more economical by saving life and maintaining
labour reproduction, that is—wealth ?
Of the various conditions which caused death, disease of the lungs
was pre-eminent. There were 352 deaths from bronchitis and 278
from phthisis, 117 deaths from pneumonia and 68 of other forms of
lung affection, making in all 815 deaths from pulmonary disease.
There were 122 deaths from heart disease, and 3-46 from disease of
the nervous system.
Zymotic diseases caused 215 deaths, of this number there were;
12 deaths from small pox
20 „ „ measles
51 „ „ scarlet fever
89 „ „ whooping coUgh, and
25 „ „ typhoid fever.
The Parish has suffered much less from small pox in the recent
outbreak than in the epidemic of 1871, owing, doubtless, to the better
means for isolating the infected (Asylum accommodation) and more
efficient disinfection.
Inspector Alexander's Report appended hereto enumerates the
various improvements effected for the abatement of nuisances
dangerous to health. And it shows that 260 old brick drains
were removed and replaced by properly laid and connected glazed
pipe ones.