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
Wandsworth 1880
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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59
Zymotic Diseases—their prevalence and fatality.
The following Table contrasts all the deaths which resulted from the seven principal epidemic diseases during the past and seven preceding years:—
| DISEASE. | 1873 | 1874 | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1878 | 1879 | 1880 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Principal Epidemics. | Small Pox | ... | 2 | ... | ... | 4 | 1 | ... | ... |
| Measles | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 1 | |
| Scarlatina | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 34 | |
| Diphtheria | ... | 1 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 7 | |
| Whooping Cough | 8 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 8 | |
| Typhus, &c | 7 | 2 | .2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
| Diarrhoea and Choleraic Disease | 10 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 3 | 6 | |
| Total | 29 | 26 | 25 | 31 | 25 | 42 | 86 | 61 | |
It will be seen from this Table that there were 61
deaths from the principal infectious diseases; more than
half these deaths were caused by Scarlet Fever. An
epidemic of this disease prevailed during the Spring and
early Summer months in a portion of the District. The
fatal cases were chiefly amongst the industrial classes;
indeed, they were the principal sufferers from the disease.
The progress of an epidemic of this kind is extremely
difficult to check; the best directed efforts of the Sanitary
Officers are too often thwarted by the people themselves,
who ignore the slighter cases of the disease, which become
fresh centres of infection, and thus prolong the epidemic.
I may here refer the reader to the abstract of Sanitary
Works, page 86 to show what has been done in the inspection,
fumigation, disinfection, and cleansing of
houses after this and other infectious diseases.