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

London County Council 1893

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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2
I desire at this point to refer to a paper on the Geographical Distribution of Diphtheria
in England and Wales, which Dr. Longstaff prepared for the Local Government Board, and which is
included in the Supplement in Continuation of the Report of the Medical Officer of that Board for the
vear 1887.

Table: Dr. Longstaff grouped the registration districts of England and Wales into sparsely, medium, and densely inhabited districts, and obtained in three periods the following death rates from diphtheria per million of population—

Dr. Longstaff grouped the registration districts of England and Wales into sparsely, medium, and densely inhabited districts, and obtained in three periods the following death rates from diphtheria per million of population—

Sparse.Medium.Dense.
1855.60248182123
1861.70223164163
1871.80132125114

Table: Table II.Diphtheria death rates per 1,000,000 living at various age-periods.

Table II.Diphtheria death rates per 1,000,000 living at various age-periods.

Period.All ages.0—1—2—3—4—5—10—15—20 and upwards
England and Wales1855-601785427437067767234141726822
1861-701845819098038327363931365926
1871-80121287489483580547291883317
1881-901632826857738968484241003617
Urban1855-60114459688562579450214702715
1861-701666871,149940836664280663222
1871-80114328595547593566243552016
Rural1855-602035747617598478214852078424
1861-701935318017428307684411657228
1871-801252614254455725363171074018
London1855-60126563778652624511232763118
1861-701767551,1971,060912715296643526
1871-80122318573628695660289552417
1881-902605341,5331,5981,7501,553601963220
Urban England(excluding London)1855-60102364609481539394199662410
1861-701596331,111845776624268673019
1871-80109334609498533511216551815

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Table II.
Diphtheria death rates per 1,000,000 living at various age-periods.
Period.
All
ages.
0—
1—
2—
3—
4—
5—
10—
15—
20 and
upwards
England and Wales
1855-60
178
542
743
706
776
723
414
172
68
22
1861-70
184
581
909
803
832
736
393
136
59
26
1871-80
121
287
489
483
580
547
291
88
33
17
1881-90
163
282
685
773
896
848
424
100
36
17
Urban
1855-60
114
459
688
562
579
450
214
70
27
15
1861-70
166
687
1,149
940
836
664
280
66
32
22
1871-80
114
328
595
547
593
566
243
55
20
16
Rural
1855-60
203
574
761
759
847
821
485
207
84
24
1861-70
193
531
801
742
830
768
441
165
72
28
1871-80
125
261
425
445
572
536
317
107
40
18
London
1855-60
126
563
778
652
624
511
232
76
31
18
1861-70
176
755
1,197
1,060
912
715
296
64
35
26
1871-80
122
318
573
628
695
660
289
55
24
17
1881-90
260
534
1,533
1,598
1,750
1,553
601
96
32
20
Urban England
(excluding London)
1855-60
102
364
609
481
539
394
199
66
24
10
1861-70
159
633
1,111
845
776
624
268
67
30
19
1871-80
109
334
609
498
533
511
216
55
18
15
For the purpose of appreciating the relative incidence of the disease upon persons living at the
several ages in these different populations, it is convenient to eliminate all question of the general
prevalence of diphtheria in the three decennia, and therefore Table III. has been prepared in which the
death rate from diphtheria at all ages has been taken at 100 and the death rates at each age increased
or reduced proportionately. Diagrams III. and IV. illustrate this graphically in the case of England
and Wales and of London. In studying these diagrams it must be borne in mind that the lateral
dimensions of age periods, whether they include one, five, or ten years are represented as equal instead
of being proportionately expanded.