London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1920
Report of the Medical Officer of Health of the City of London for the year 1920
This page requires JavaScript
12
BIRTHS.
During the year 1920, 470 births were registered in the City, 323 of which
however, did not belong thereto. To the remaining 147 must be added the births
of 35 children born to Citizens temporarily residing outside the City boundary.
The number of births, therefore, on which the rate should be calculated is 182.
The annual birth rate was 14.9 per 1,000 persons of all ages, compared with a
quinquennial mean rate of 8.4 per 1,000. In the Metropolis the birth rate in 1920
was 26.4 per 1,000.
MORTALITY.
During the year under review, 842 deaths were registered in the District,
including 728 persons dying in the City, but not belonging thereto. See Table,
p 11, for details. Deducting these latter, 114 deaths remain, to which must be
added those of 77 persons who died in Institutions in outside districts, where they
were registered; the total, therefore, on which the City death rate is calculated is
191. The death rate for 1920 was 15.6 per 1,000 per annum of the population (the
previous year being 14.4), whilst that for the whole of the Metropolis was 12.6.
DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE.—Of the City deaths, 7.8 per cent. were caused
by injuries or violence, as compared with 4.2 in 1918 and 10.4 in 1919. This is 0.5
above the average for the previous five years.
PERCENTAGE Of REGISTERED DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE.
| Year. | City of London. | Metropolis. |
|---|---|---|
| Per cent. | Per cent. | |
| 1915 | 6.0 | 7.3 |
| 1916 | 9.9 | 4.0 |
| 1917 | 6.2 | 5.9 |
| 1918 | 4.2 | 5.6 |
| 1919 | 10.4 | 5.7 |
| Average previous five years | 7.3 | 5.7 |
| 1920 | 7.8 | 4.7 |
DEATH RATES, PER 1,000 PER ANNUM.
| Year. | City of London. | 96 Great Towns of England and Wales. | Metropolis. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | 17.4 | 15.9 | 16.1 |
| 1916 | 15.0 | 14.4 | 14.3 |
| 1917 | 15.6 | 14.6 | 15.0 |
| 1918 | 20.9 | 18.2 | 18.9 |
| 1919 | 14.4 | 13.8 | 13.4 |
| Average previous five years | 16.6 | 15.3 | 15.5 |
| 1920 | 15.6 | 12.5 | 12.6 |
The death rate from zymotic disease per 1,000 of the population was 0.49
compared with 1.45 in the Metropolis.
The deaths from Phthisis correspond to a rate of 1.6 per 1,000 of the population,
as compared with 1.05 in the Metropolis.
INFANT MORTALITY.
The deaths of children under one year of age were at the rate of 66 per 1,000
births, as against 75 for the whole of London.
The table of infantile mortality on p. 13 shows the deaths of children under
one year arranged according to monthly age periods. From this it will be seen that
no less than 58.4 per cent. of these deaths occurred in the first month, 75 per cent.
within the first three months, and 83.3 per cent. during the first six months of
existence.
The usual preventive measures have continued in force, and include the holding of
a Mothers' Meeting weekly at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where the weighing of
children is undertaken and advice given to parents. In the case of illness assistance
in obtaining medical advice is offered, and milk is distributed in necessitous cases.