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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infants and older persons may lead to the infection of children at the school age period of life. The
following Tables X. (a) and X. (b) afford, however, reason for thinking that this condition is in active
operation at the present time in London, and I think the first step to be taken in investigating the
present prevalence is to endeavour to determine the extent to which schools are contributing to
diphtheria dissemination, especially those in which infants and younger children are taught.
| Death rate per 1,000,000. | Death rate at each age period (all ages taken as 100). | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All ages. | Under 3. | 3-10 | 10 and upwards. | Under 3. | 3-10 | 10 and upwards. | |
| 1855-60 | 126 | 658 | 337 | 27 | 522 | 267 | 21 |
| 1861-70 | 176 | 990 | 458 | 32 | 562 | 260 | 18 |
| 1871-80 | 122 | 498 | 409 | 23 | 408 | 335 | 19 |
| 1881-90 | 260 | 1,197 | 921 | 31 | 460 | 354 | 12 |
| 1891-3 | 521 | 2,706 | 1,877 | 49 | 519 | 360 | 9 |
| 1855-60 and 1891-3. | 1861-70 and 1891-3. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All ages. | Under 3. | 3-10 | 10 and upwards. | All ages. | Under 3. | 3-10 | 10 and upwards. |
| 313 | 311 | 457 | 196 | 173 | 309 | 53 | |
| Death rate per 1,000,000. | Death rate at each age period (all ages taken as 100). | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All ages. | Under 3. | 3-10. | 10 and upwards. | Under 3. | 3-10. | 10 and upwards. | |
| 1855-60 | 320 | 823 | 656 | 257 | |||
| 1861-70 | 430 | 3,044 | 34 | 708 | 237 | ||
| 1871-80 | 299 | 852 | 23 | 606 | 285 | ||
| 1881-90 | 419 | 2,374 | 1,358 | 32 | 567 | 324 | 8 |
| 1891-2* | 465 | 2,586 | 38 | 556 | 346 | ||
| 1855-60 and 1891-2* | 1861-70 and 1891-2* | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All ages. | Under 3. | 3-10. | 10 and upwards. | All ages. | Under 3. | 3-10. | 10 and upwards. |
| + 45 | + 23 | + 95 | + 36 | + 8 | — 15 | + 58 | |
* The figures relating to croup at the age periods shown in this table are not yet available for the year 1893.
The death rate at all ages from diphtheria and cioup combined in the period 1891-3 was, however, 581 per
million, as compared with 465 in the period 1891-2. The rate (581) of 1891-3 is an increase over the rate of
1855-60 of^82 per cent., and over the rate of 1861-70 of 35 per cent.
Shirley F. Murphy,
Medical Officer of Health.