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
Shoreditch 1892
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch, Parish of St. Leonard]
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ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
During the year notifications were received referring to 1,478 cases of infectious disease, 862 in 1891, and 1158 in 1892. These are classified below:—
| Disease. | First Quarter. | Second Quarter. | Third Quarter. | Fourth Quarter. | Total. | Deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Pox | 26 | 53 | - | - | 82* | 4 |
| Scarlet Fever | 75 | 154 | 306 | 299 | 834 | 34 |
| Diphtheria & Membranous Croup | 42 | 49 | 71 | 50 | 212 | 50 |
| Typhus Fever | - | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - |
| Enteric Fever | 16 | 18 | 28 | 29 | 91 | 12 |
| Continued Fever | - | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Puerperal Fever | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 6 |
| Erysipelas | 26 | 46 | 87 | 84 | 243 | 1] |
| Totals | 187 | 323 | 498 | 470 | 1,481 | |
| Removed to Hospital | 106 | 176 | 196 | 154 | 632 | |
| 56.6 % | 54.4 % | 39.3 % | 32.7 % | 41.4 % |
The notifications received equal 12 per 1000 of the population, against 10.8
for the whole of London (the previous year's rates were 8.5 and 6.9 respectively).
In the different parishes, the rates vary from 5.6 in St. James, "Westminster, to 15.5
in Bethnal Grreen. Small Pox, Scarlet Fever and Erysipelas have increased the
rate in Shoreditch.
The proportionate rate per 1000 inhabitants in London and Shoreditch respectively, affected by the various notifiable infectious diseases, may be ascertained from the accompanying table.
| Small Pox. | Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | Typhus Fever. | Enteric Fever. | other Continued Fevers | Puerperal Fever. | Erysipelas. | Cholera. | Annual Rate, 1892. | Annual Rate, 1891. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LONDON | 0.09 | 6.37 | 1.95 | 0.00 | 0.57 | 0.03 | 0.07 | 1.62 | 0.00 | 10.8 | 6.9 |
| SHOREDITCH | 0.59 | 6.81 | 1.71 | 0.01 | 0.74 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 1.98 | - | 12.0 | 8.5 |
Small Pox.—I have already reported fully upon the 73 cases which
appeared in this district, together with a number arising from them in other
districts. The disease was imported from an adjoining parish. It is important to
notice that no vaccinated person died out of that number; the only four in whom
the disease proved fatal being unvaccinated.
*Nine of the cases notified proved not to be Small Pox.