On the mortality of Edinburgh and Leith, for the year 1848 : with remarks on the mortality prevailing in the chief towns of Scotland during that period / by James Stark.

  • Stark, James, 1814-1883
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the mortality of Edinburgh and Leith, for the year 1848 : with remarks on the mortality prevailing in the chief towns of Scotland during that period / by James Stark. 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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    every succeeding epidemic is becoming a more formidable and pre- valent disease. What is the probable cause of this ? In 1817 the formation of the Union Canal was commenced, and the demand for labourers drew over large numbers from Ire- land, many of whose families took up their permanent abode in Edinburgh. This, followed as it was by the building mania, drew over annually large additions of the same class of persons ; and it was on their advent that the first severe epidemic of typhus fever, during the present century, made its appearance. At the same time the annual mortality suddenly increased, never afterwardsjto diminish. Thus, from 1800 to 1810, the mortality in Edinburgh was in'1 the low proportion of one death annually out of every 39| inhabitants; and, from 1810 to 1820, only one death occurred annually out of every 40 inhabitants. From the advent of these low Irish, however, the mortality has risen slowly and regularly during each decennial period up to the present day ; the increase of the Irish, the increase of the general mortality, and the increase of fever, keeping pretty nearly equal pace with each other. The above table shows the increase of fever; and that the general mortality is on the increase, is apparent from the fact that, from 1820 to 1880, there died in Edinburgh one annually out of every 38 in- habitants; from 1830 to 1840 in the proportion of one death annually out of every 344 inhabitants; while, from 1840 to the present day, such has been the increase in the general mortality that one death has occurred annually out of every 314 inhabitants. That this increased general mortality, and increased prevalence and fatality of epidemics of typhus fever, are almost solely to be attributed to the increase of that “great mass of suffering perma- nently included under the name of the Irish Poor,” cannot for a moment be doubted by any one who has had an opportunity of visiting their abodes of wretchedness, overcrowding, and filth. By far° the greater portion of the lowest class in Edinburgh is now composed of Irish ; and the state of overcrowding, filth, and want of the necessaries of life amid which they live makes it surpris- ing that typhus fever should ever leave their dwellings. Every succeeding year, therefore, calls more loudly for some stringent, but judicious and effectual legislative enactment, by which the sa- nitary condition of the lower classes may be improved. Every year this is delayed a heavier burden falls on the higher classes for the support of the families rendered destitute by the death or sick- ness of the parents; and, though an additional tax for carrying out sanitary measures would no doubt be felt somewhat oppres- sive at first, very few years would elapse before the lessened burdens of the poor’s tax would make it apparent to all that the sanitary tax was indeed a real saving of money. Scarlet fever be^an to exhibit a tendency to increase as early as the month of January, but the cases were scattered and compara-
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