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
Croydon 1944
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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9
In two cases the bacteriological results were not entirely
satisfactory. Investigation was immediately carried out and
check samples taken at adjacent premises. In both cases the contamination
proved to be local in character, one being due to the
tap from which the sample was taken being contaminated, and
the other being due to a defect in the service pipe to a particular
house.
LABORATORY, AMBULANCE, NURSING FACILITIES,
HOSPITALS, Etc.
There have been no material changes in the Laboratory.
Ambulance, and Nursing Facilities in the home since my report
in 1940. All Clinics have continued throughout the year.
| Cause of Death. | 1939 Total Deaths | 1940 Total Deaths | 1941 Total Deaths | 1942 Total Deaths | 1943 Total Deaths | 1944 Total Deaths | Death Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enteric Fever | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Malaria | — | — | 1 | — | - | — | — |
| Poliomyelitis | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0.005 |
| Measles | — | — | 5 | — | 1 | 1 | 0.005 |
| Scarlet Fever | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Whooping Cough | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 0.052 |
| Diphtheria and Croup | 16 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| Influenza (incl. Influenzal pneumonia) | 48 | 49 | 36 | 19 | 81 | 19 | 0.100 |
| Dysentry | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | - | — | — |
| Erysipelas | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 0.005 |
| Cerebro-Spinal Fever | 2 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0.005 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 89 | 128 | 90 | 97 | 107 | 98 | 0.515 |
| Tuberculous Meningitis Other Tuberculous Diseases | 18 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 11 | 0.058 |
| Cancer, Malignant Disease | 419 | 443 | 376 | 409 | 454 | 420 | 2.209 |
| Rheumatic Fever | 2 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0.010 |
| Meningitis | 3 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 0.021 |
| Organic Heart Disease | 782 | 682 | 672 | 741 | 515 | 563 | 2.961 |
| Bronchitis, Acute and Chronic | 47 | 130 | 80 | 131 | 150 | 126 | 0.663 |
| Pneumonia | 151 | 206 | 194 | 113 | 182 | 129 | 0.663 |
| Other Diseases of the Respiratory Organs | 13 | 21 | 30 | 22 | 17 | 23 | 0.129 |
| Diarrhoea & Enteritis | 23 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 0.116 |
| Appendicitis | 15 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 0.042 |
| Cirrhosis of Liver | 12 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0.010 |
| Alcoholism | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Nephritis & Bright's Disease | 63 | 63 | 60 | 57 | 44 | 44 | 0.231 |
| *Puerperal Sepsis | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| *Other diseases and accidents of pregnancy and parturition | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 2.174 |
| Congenital debility, malformation and Premature Birth | 71 | 53 | 34 | 82 | 73 | 89 | 0.461 |
| Violent Deaths (excluding War operations and suicide) | 77 | 61 | 74 | 61 | 46 | 45 | 0.236 |
| Suicide | 28 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 21 | 16 | 0.084 |
| Other Defined Diseases | 662 | 1152 | 778 | 568 | 860 | 1206 | 6.343 |
| Diseases Ill-Defined or Unknown | 3 | 11 | 2 | — | 12 | 8 | 0.042 |
| Total | 2557 | 3118 | 2539 | 2409 | 2628 | 2857 | — |
*Calculated per 1,000 live and still births.
1944 showed an increase both in the death and birth rates.
The death rate, excluding deaths from War operations, showed a slight increase only (0.4)