Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Report of the Medical Officer of Health on the sanitary condition of the City and County of Bristol

During quarter ending September 29th 1877:

p.8
Deaths from diseases of the lungs show the quarterly average for the season. 196 deaths were registered under this class, viz.: 101 from Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and Pleurisy, and 95 from Phthisis.
After deducting deaths from the Royal Infirmary and the General Hospital from the returns of the Sub-registration Districts of St James and St Mary Redcliff, the deaths from affections of the lungs show a higher rate in St Phillips than in any other. The rate of mortality from these diseases in the whole city was 3.9, but for the district of St Phillips it was 4.6. I think this must be due to the concentration of our manufacturing industry in that district, and the want of open spaces to dilute the irritating fumes unavoidably connected with certain manufactures.

David Davies

During quarter ending December 28th 1878:

Deaths from diseases of the Respiratory Organs reach the large number of 482 i.e. 386 of Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and Pleurisy; and 96 of Phthisis. These 482 deaths give a general rate of mortality of 9.4, but in Clifton the rate is only 5.8; and in the Westbury Sub-registration District (geographically a part of Clifton) only 5.1, although many invalids, subject to Diseases of the Chest, reside in those districts. It thus seems that the inhabitants on the higher levels of the city are not inordinately subject to suffering from the accession of inclement weather. It is clear that persons living in the Clifton and Westbury Districts have better chances of life than their fellow citizens in the lower districts.

Joseph Yeates