London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lambeth 1905
Report on the vital and sanitary statistics of the Borough of Lambeth during the year 1905
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47
DECREASE IN DIPHTHERIA IN LAMBETH
BOROUGH.
(Special Report presented to the Council on 11th May, 1905.)
I have to draw the attention of the Council to the marked
decrease in the morbidity—and mortality—rates from Diphtheria
(including- Membranous Croup), during- the last four
years (i.e., since the formation of the Borough). I have
worked out, in connection with these two diseases, the statistics
(including the total number of notifications received,
and the death rates per million living) for the last 34 years
as follows:—
| Quinquennial Period. | Population (estimated). | No. of Cases Notified. | No. of Deaths Registered. | Death-rate per million Living. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Parish. | 1871-1875 | 1,089,336 | — | 149 | 137 | |
| 1876-1880 | 1,202,080 | — | 243 | 200 | ||
| 1881-1885 | 1,292,016 | — | 283 | 219 | ||
| 1886-1890 | 1,346,658 | — | 495 | 368 | ||
| 1891-1895 | 1,420,055 | 2,932 | 618 | 435 | ||
| 1896-1900 | 1,520,442 | 4,181 | 662 | 435 | ||
| New Borough. | 1901 | 302,533 | 524 | So | 165 | |
| 1902 | 305,102 | 474 | 53 | 174 | ||
| 1903 | 307,711 | 338 | 29 | 94 | ||
| 1904 | 310,359 | 328 | 34 | 110 | ||
Taking the Borough statistics separately, it will be
noticed that the death-rate has dropped from 165 in 1901 to
110 in 1904 per million living; whilst, during the same
four years, the actual numbers of notifications received have
fallen from 524 in 1901 to 328 in 1904. There has, in this
way, been an exceptionally sudden decrease in the mortality,
and also in the incidence, from Diphtheria and Membranous
Croup throughout the Borough of Lambeth during the past
four years, 1901-1904, i.e., since the Borough was formed.
In the old Parish of Lambeth, Diphtheria and Membranous
Croup prevalence and mortality had been steadily rising
for the previous thirty years (1871-1900).