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6
VACCINATION
The annual average for 1914-18, after correcting for deaths of non-residents, &c., was.
2,072, or 185 in excess of the corrected average (1,887) for 1909-13. The highest corrected
total (2,286) was recorded in 1915 and was 37 in excess of total (2,249) for 1918. In 1919 the
corrected total fell to 1,914, 335 below the total for 1918, while in 1920 the total fell to 1,707,.
the minimum recorded since 1909.
Taking the averages for 1909-13 as standard (=100) the Index Numbers obtained are—
for 1914-18 110 ; 1919 101 ; and 1920 90.
The corrected totals for the Wards of the Borough for the five years 1916-20, together
with the averages 1909-13 and 1914-18 are to be found in Table II., Appendix. That Table
also contains the Index Numbers based on the averages for 1909-13. The numbers for 1920
indicate considerable reductions in the mortality experienced in the Wards except Westbourne
and Lancaster Gate (West and East). As regards the two latter, it is surmised that the
housing conditions in those Wards have materially altered, and that there is at the present
time a much more closely aggregated population than before the War. Proof of such surmise
may, or may not, be forthcoming when the results of the census now pending are known.
Sex-Age Distribution.—In the absence of the data necessary for calculating the sex-agegroup
mortality rates, the averages for the two quinquennia 1909-13 and 1914-18 are contrasted
with the records for 1919 and 1920 in twelve age-groups for males, females and persons.
(See Table III., Appendix.) The Index Numbers point to lower mortality rates in both years
(1919 and 1920) than in 1909-13, and still more so in 1914-18. It is noteworthy that six
age-groups of males—viz.: 15-. 20-, 25-, and C5-, 75- and 85—do not appear to have
shared in the fall noted for males as a whole, while among females only three age-groups—
viz.: 20-, 25- and 75—show a similar phenomenon.
Cause of Death.—In Tables VIII. and VIIIa., Appendix, will be found analyses of the
causes of death of residents of the Borough according to sex and age of the deceased. In
Table VIIIb., Appendix, Index Numbers are given for the more important causes of death
(persons). Two sets of Numbers have been calculated, the one (based on the averages for
1909-13) comparing the data for 1919 and 1920 with the last pre-war quinquennium, and the other
(based on averages for 1914-18) comparing the two years with the experience of the "war
quinquennium." As the majority of the diseases will be considered separately later in the
Report, it will suffice here to make one observation of a general character. Bearing in mind
what has been written as to the probability of a recent increase in the population of the
Borough, the Index Numbers indicate—with a few exceptions—a satisfactory decline in the
rate of mortality during the past two years. With the (possibly) sole exception of Diphtheria,
the numbers of deaths with Index Numbers much in excess of the standards, were insignificantly
small.
V.—VACCINATION.
In submitting the Vaccination Returns (See Table V., Appendix) for 1919—those for 1920
are not yet available—there is little to be written except that the proportion of children
remaining unvaccinated increased from 29.5 per cent. in 1918 to 30.6 in 1919. During the
five years 1909-13 the proportion was 20.5 per cent., increasing to 282 per cent. during
1914-18. The percentage of children for whom exemption from vaccination was obtained was
12.6 in the first quinquennium and 18.4 in the second, as compared with 20'3 in 1919. The
children falling under "Rest"—"postponements," "apprisals," "not found" and "unaccounted
for and fined"—formed 6.9 per cent. of all births during 1909-13, 8.1 during 1914-18 and
8.5 in 1919.