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 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn, Metropolitan Borough]
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The Metropolitan Borough of Holborn.
REPORT
OF THE
Medical Officer of Health
For the Year 1913.
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 1913, the various statistics of the year
refer to the fifty-three weeks ended Saturday, January 3rd, 1914, as adopted by
the Registrar-General, and known as the Registration year.
The following statistics for the Census years 1901 and 1911, and for last year, 1913, indicate the very great improvement that has taken place in the sanitary and hygienic condition of the Borough since the formation of the Holborn Borough.
| 1901. | 1911. | 1913. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death-rate per 1,000 | 20.0 | 15.2 | 14.4 |
| Death-rate from the seven principal epidemic diseases | 2.25 | 1.21 | 0.61 |
| Death rate from Phthisis | 2.47 | 1.72 | 1.60 |
| Number of notifications of Infectious diseases (excluding Tuberculosis and Chicken-Pox) | 758 | 259 | 232 |
| Notification-rate per 1,000 | 12.79 | 5.29 | 4.86 |
| Infantile Mortality per 1,000 births | 126 (1905)* | 113 | 100 |
Much work has again been done during the year under the Housing, Town
Planning, etc., Act, 1909, and the Housing Regulations of September, 1910.
Since the issue of these Housing Regulations more than 300 of the worst
houses in the Borough have been reported on in detail and action taken thereon.
In the great majority of cases the owners at once agreed to carry out the necessary
work to make the premises fit for human habitation, in a number of cases the owners
agreed to close the premises for reletting on building leases, and in only four cases
it has been necessary to make closing orders. A large number of other houses
were also inspected by me, but were not reported to the Housing of the Working
*Details of births, names and addresses of mothers, etc., were not supplied until the latter
part of 1904.