A report on the sanitary condition of the town of Margate, from the year 1837 to 1862 : being a statistical account of the numbers dying and the cause of death of the inhabitants, visitors, and inmates of the Infirmary / by Edward Mottley.

  • Mottley, Edward.
Date:
[1863]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A report on the sanitary condition of the town of Margate, from the year 1837 to 1862 : being a statistical account of the numbers dying and the cause of death of the inhabitants, visitors, and inmates of the Infirmary / by Edward Mottley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    EXPLANATION OF DIAGEAM. The diagram forming the frontispiece clearly shews the decline of the health of Europe from North to South and from West to East, and this decline is far from being unimportant. AU the Northern Islands and littoral regions under the influence of the Gulf Stream and that of the great tidal wave of the Atlantic, when its power is not neutralized by local causes, are highly favourable to patients liable to pulmonary affections. The annual death rate of these regions varies from 15 to 17 per 1000 of the resident population. With these rates of iriortality, the causes of death are mostly sporadic, rarely endemic ; but occa- sionally in the less secluded districts contagious and epidemic diseases when introduced find new centres of propagation amongst the inhabitants, and cause a high exceptional mortality. The salutaiy influence of the tidal waters of the Atlantic are considered to extend about 300 English miles inland. Dr. A. Miiller, in his vital Statistics of Wiesbaden (written with true German minute- ness and honesty) describes that beautiful Spa as possessing a Sea Climate. Wiesbaden, one of the healthiest of German Brunnens, has on an average of 17 years, an annual mortality of 25 per 1000 of the resident inhabitants ; the situation is considered as favourable to consumptive patients. The number of residents dying there of consumption as compared with Margate residents is, Wiesbaden 24, Margate 16, to an equal number living. If we compare Margate with a city where the mortality rises to 31 per 1000, as Munich, sitiiated nearly in the centre of Europe ; we obtain the following results—from the two ex- tremes of life, Ages at death 0 to ] 70 to 100 Margate 50 50 100 Munich 85 15 100 and the disproportion is in many instances exceeded. Where the mortality varies between 32 and 42 per 1000 residents, as in many instances in Italy, Hungary, Bohemia, and Styria, Consumption, Angia, Hheumatism, Ague, Typhus, Pallagra, (Lepra squamosa) sweep away lai'ge numbers of the residents. In some of the Italian hospitals the mortality frequently amounts to 50 ;per cent of the recep- tions. Modern research has discovered that the south of Europe is highly un- favourable to consumptive patients, the rapid change of temperature developing the germ of tlie disease. In many parts of Italy consumption is popularly con- sidered as contagious, the clothes and bedding of a person dying of consumption are frequently burned to prevent communication. The climate of Italy is enervating, tending to premature development and early decay. Cleanliness is no Italian virtue, and the indolent native is subjected to diseases that have no place in the comprehensive tables of Dr. Farr. Unquestionably tlie law of com- pensation prevails with regard to man in relation to climate as is found through- out nature. The same vitality that enables the Englishman to compel his unfruitful soil to yield abundant harvests, enables him to conquer on the field of battle, and to overcome disease ; and every measure that tends to impi-ove the public health of a country, not only increases its wealth but also its strength and security. The numbers given by the diagram are chiefly derived from recent local vo'iters, amongst whom may be mentioned Dr. Karl Tormay, whose publica- tions relating to the sister cities of Pesth-Buda, are perfect models of scientific statistical enquiry. The reader will kindly pardon any mark of haste in the composition, or discrepancy in the tables, should such exist, in consequence of the great distance of the writer from London, he being engaged in travelling at the time of print- ing the pamphlet and correcting the press.