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
Westminster 1889
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, The United Parishes of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster]
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80
The following deaths occurred at the undermentioned
places, viz.:—
Hospitals. Prisons. Barracks.
Westminster. 219 Mill bank 7 Wellington 3
Grosvenor 2
Station 12
Coldstreams 1
Emanuel 1
Convent 1
236 7 3
The following deaths occurred at the undermentioned ages,
viz.:—
Above sixty, 169; above seventy, 74; above eighty, 23;
above ninety, 5.
The following is a table of deaths from zymotic causes during the past three years:—
| 1888. | 1889. | 1890. | |
| Small Pox | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Measles | 34 | 27 | 38 |
| Scarlet Fever | 9 | 3 | 4 |
| Whooping Cough | 54 | 33 | 42 |
| Diarrhoea | 68 | 31 | 45 |
| Dysentery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cholera | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fever | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 165 | 97 | 133 |
The above table shows an increase, in reference to the previous
year, of 36 deaths arising from zymotic diseases, and on examination
of the table of deaths an increase of 106, as compared
with the previous year, due to the great increase in the deaths
from bronchitis, viz., 70 more, the increase in measles is 11 more
deaths, the increase in whooping cough of 9 more deaths, and
12 more deaths from diarrhoea than in the previous year.
The death rate for the year is 18 and a fraction of a
thousand.
compulsory notification of disease.
The notification of diseases of a zymotic character has been
of very considerable assistance in enabling me not only to cope
with existing disease but in pointing out the locality where the
disease existed, and so to direct the inspectors to take immediate
steps to improve the sanitary condition of the dwellings ; this
has been regularly carried out, and, in the majority of instances,
with the very best results.