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
Holborn 1914
Report for the year 1914 of the Medical Officer of Health
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REPORT
OF THE
Medical Officer of Health
For the Year 1914.
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
197, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Holborn.
Gentlemen,
In this Annual Report for the year 1914, the various statistics of the year
refer to the fifty-two weeks ended Saturday, January 2nd, 1915, as adopted by
the Registrar-General, and known as the Registration Year.
The following are the principal statistics for the Census years 1901 and 1911, and for last year 1914.
| 1901. | 1911. | 1914. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death-rate per 1,000 | 20.0 | 15.2 | 15.8 |
| Infantile Mortality per 1,000 births | 126 (1905)1 | 113 | 88 |
| Death-rate from the seven principal epidemic dieases | 2.25 | 1.21 | 0.90 |
| Death-rate from Phthisis | 2.47 | 1.72 | 1.69 |
| Number of notifications of Infectious diseases (excluding Tuberculosis, Chicken-pox, and Whooping Cough) | 758 | 259 | 283 |
| Notification-rate per 1,000 | 12.79 | 5.29 | 6.06 |
Until last year there had been a continuous fall in the death-rate since 1902.
Since the adoption of the Notification of Births Act in March, 1908, the
Infantile Mortality rate of the Borough has been less than that for London, and
last year was considerably less, viz., only 88 per 1,000 corrected births in
comparison with 104 for London.
The death-rate from the seven principal epidemic diseases, was only 0'90 in
comparison with 1.44 for London.
The death-rate from Phthisis was 1.69 per 1,000 in comparison with l.60 in
the preceding year, but the corresponding rate for London was also higher, viz.,
1.39 compared with 1.30.
31.5 per cent. of the deaths from Phthisis were those of former inmates of
Common Lodging Houses in the Borough who had been removed to Poor LawInstitutions.
The notification-rate was only 6.06 per 1,000 in comparison with 9.15 for
London.
* Details of births, names and addresses of mothers, etc., were not supplied until the latter
part of 1904.