GreenBristol blog

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

Friday, June 10, 2005

Boat trip on Tower Belle - 6th July

Greenbristol have booked the Tower Belle to sail along the Feeder canal and river Avon to Chequers on Wednesday 6th July. The boat starts at Temple Quay at 5.30 returning to the Ostrich pub in Bristol at 10 pm. Information packs about the route and things to look out for (eg kingfishers, herons, glow worms, bats, fish, strange plants, industrial archeology etc) will be provided. Bring your cameras/videos/sketchbooks - we want to collect as many pictures for the website as possible. This event is to invite people to learn more about their immediate environment, its history and ecology and the huge changes the area has undergone. Feedback will provide a rich mixture of unique, individual points of view shared via the green map.

There will be speakers talking about the history and ecology of the route along the way eg The Netham Chemical Works, Lead Works, Crew's Hole Tar Works, invasive plants. We hope also to take samples of the canal and river and project a live display from a microscope showing the bugs and organisms that inhabit the water. There will also be a live band/poetry! Cost £1.50 For more information contact Greenbristol: Ivor McGillivray (07791) 752574 ivor.mcgillivray@btopenworld.com or Laura Hamilton: 0117 954 0729 lorhamilton@yahoo.co.uk