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
Hornsey 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornsey, Borough of]
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20
Measles is responsible for a larger number of deaths than in
any of the 10 years since 1894. Nearly all the deaths were of
children between 1 and 5 years of age (15 out of 18), and this
heavy mortality is largely due to the increasing popularity of the
practice of sending children of 3, 4 and 5 years of age to the day
schools.
The same remarks apply largely in regard to whooping cough,
which caused 17 deaths.
There was only one death from Scarlet Fever, that of a child
in the East Hornsey Ward.
There were 7 deaths from Diphtheria, three of them being
deaths of Hornsey patients in the Isolation Hospital, 4 of patients
not removed to the Hospital.
Enteric Fever caused 2 deaths, one in the Hospital and one
outside.
Ages at Death. —The ages at which deaths occurred are as follows:—
| 1904. | 1903. | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 145 | 132 |
| 1 year and under 5 years | 66 | 53 |
| 5 years and under 15 „ | 24 | 17 |
| 15 „ 25 „ | 28 | 19 |
| 25 „ 65 „ | 203 | 216 |
| 65 years and over | 224 | 167 |
| Total deaths | 690 | 604 |
More than half the total number of deaths was of persons at
the extreme ages, i.e., under one year, or 65 years and over.
Nearly one-third (32.4 per cent.) of the deaths were of persons
of 65 years of age or over.
The principal causes of death among persons of 65 years and
over were Cancer 28, Bronchitis 38, and Heart diseases 31. Less
frequent causes of death among this section of the population were
Influenza 7, Phthisis 5, and Pneumonia 7.