Dr. Webster's remarks on the health of London : read before the Westminster Medical Society, April 13, 1850.

  • Webster John, 1795-1876.
Date:
[1850]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Webster's remarks on the health of London : read before the Westminster Medical Society, April 13, 1850. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    even more extraoi'dinary, when the three months of July, August, and September of last year, are compared with October, November, and De- cember. In the former period, the total deaths from all diseases were 27,109, but in the latter they decreased to 12,877, being a diminution of more than half, or 54 per cent. Cholera and diarrhcea continued to pre- vail throughout October and November of last year, though in a rapidly decreasing ratio, so that 976 individuals died of these diseases during the entire quarter ; nevertheless, this period, and the first three months of the current year, have proved, as formerly stated, more healthy than the corresponding period for several previous years. The chief influences which have contributed to produce this favourable result are—1. The improved physical condition of the population: 2. The abundance of good and cheap provisions: 3. The less variable, and hence more salubrious, condition of the atmosphere : 4. The in- creased attention recently given to sanitary measures: 5. The greater care paid by individuals to their own health, in consequence of the alarm experienced during the previous pestilence : and, 6. The removal, by the recent epidemic, of a large number of the debilitated, dissipated, and diseased portion of the population, so that there remained less pabulum morhi as compared with former years; while the survivors were also better able to resist the inroads of disease. Most of the circumstances above alluded to, as influencing public health, are so obvious, as to require little or no comment. Although much has been recently said respecting sanitary measures, and a few judicious improvements have been commenced, very little advance in the right direction has as yet been made. As I have previously adverted to this subject, and shewn its importance, it is unnecessary for me to repeat my arguments ; but I would now again assert as strenuously as formerly, that all nuisances, whether public or private, must be abated. Vested rights, and individual interests, must yield to the health of communi- ties. On this point, sahis reipuhlicm est suprema lex; and, as on such question there can be no mistake, there ought assuredly to be no com- promise. The removal of food for disease by the cholera epidemic of last year, and its consequent influence in producing a diminished rate of mortality, is analogous to what has been formerly experienced. Similar results followed the disappearance of influenza, which prevailed so severely during the winter of 1847-48. In the quarter ending June 30, ] 848, the number of deaths was 3,510 fewer than in the preceding three months. Again, after the cessation of scarlatina, which was unusually prevalent and fatal during the winter of 1848-49, the aggregate mor- tality decreased; the deaths from all causes registered in the quarter ending June 30, 1849, being 2,422 fewer than those in the three months ending 31st March. Hence, it may be generally predicted, with some confidence, that whenever any epidemic malady prevails, and removes numbers of the population, the subsequent season or year will probably be more healthy, and fewer deaths will occur than under other circum- stances. This arises much from the removal by the previous epidemic of the subjects most liable to disease ; but there may be also other evi- dent causes in operation, although it is often impossible to point out, and