[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel].

  • Whitechapel (London, England). Board of Works.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    5 condition of some of the property in this district, that the powers which can be exercised by the Board are inadequate to effectually improve it; all therefore that can be done in such cases, to mitigate the evils consequent upon the want of venti lation in these badly constructed places, is, for the inspector to visit them frequently, in order to see that the utmost possible cleanliness is observed. Diseases of the heart and bloodvessels were fatal to 26. Hydrocephalus, or water on the brain, scrofula, and mesenteric disease, all of which are generally considered as the result of constitutional debility, were fatal to 34, or 4.8 per cent. of the total mortality. This is a large number; but when the poverty of a very great proportion of the population, and the confined localities in which so many of the poor reside are considered, this large mortality from constitutional diseases need not excite much surprise. Not only is it to be deplored that the houses in most of the poor neighbourhoods are already too closely packed together, but the evil is increasing; for wherever there is a vacant spot of ground, more houses are built, thereby still further diminishing the healthiness of those already existing. It is a well ascertained fact that a thorough ventilation, and a free admission of solar light, into dwelling houses, are as necessary for the healthy nutrition of the human being, as they are essential to the growth of the plant. It is found that the inhabitants of dark rooms soon become pale and sickly, and in extreme cases the children are scro fulous, and in some instances, even deformed. Convulsions in children, which, although classed with diseases of the nervous system, are frequently produced by the same causes as hydrocephalus, proved fatal to 29. The mortality from childbirth was high, 6 mothers having died during the quarter. Cases of violent death have been much more numerous in this quarter than they were in the corresponding one of last year, (57 against 45). Burns and scalds proved fatal to 21 ; of these deaths, three were of children in one family, residing in Back Church Lane, who were burnt in a house which took fire. Violence of various other kinds was fatal to 24. Two males committed suicide by taking poison. Five children were suffocated in bed. Two persons were drowned. Three died from the effects of exposure during the inclement weather; one, a mariner, from disease of the heart, accelerated by exposure to cold while intoxicated; one from tetanus or locked jaw, supervening on frost-bite; and one from mortification of the feet from frost-bite. A child aged 15 months, residing in Barley Mow Court, died from exhaustion from a sloughing wound of the chest., caused by too long ar. application of a mustard poultice. A child aged 4 months, died from spinal irritation, resulting in tetanus. A waiter, aged 48, died from drinking a large quantity of whiskey. Two children were murdered. A domestic servant, aged 42, died in consequence of her own neglect, in not calling to her assistance a Surgeon, while giving birth to an illegitimate child. A seaman, aged 28, died in the London Hospital from the effects of scurvy. As this disease has now altogether disappeared from the British Navy, owing to the adoption of improved dietetic and other hygienic rules, it is equally in the power of those in authority in the mercantile marine, by adopting similar means to those employed in the navy, to prevent the occurrence of scurvy on board a merchant vessel; and in order to protect the crew from the direful effects of this disease, it would be desirable whenever scurvy has occurred on