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
Bromley 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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An analysis of the ages at death shows that of the deaths registered :—
| Male. | Female. | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 were under 1 year of age | 10 | 7 |
| 2 were 1 and under 5 years of age | 2 | — |
| 4 were 5 and under 15 years of age | 1 | 3 |
| 5 were 15 and under 25 years of age | 4 | 1 |
| 25 were 25 and under 45 years of age | 14 | 11 |
| 150 were 45 and under 65 years of age | 83 | 67 |
| 187 were 65 and under 75 years of age | 103 | 84 |
| 337 were 75 years of age and over | 139 | 198 |
| 356 | 371 |
CAUSATION OF DEATHS.
Main causes of death in the Borough during the year 1954. together with comparative rates per 1.000 population for the last five years were :—
| 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | 1.9 | 1.98 | 1.77 | 2.38 | 1.99 |
| Congenital Causes | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.16 | 0.11 | 0.08 |
| Heart Disease | 6.31 | 5.56 | 6.31 | 5.34 | 5.88 |
| Infectious Diseases | 0.015 | 0.062 | 0.031 | 0.03 | 0.03 |
| Influenza | 0.03 | 0.11 | — | 0.11 | 0.01 |
| Respiratory Diseases (non-T.B.) | 0.68 | 1.27 | 1.17 | 0.91 | 1.09 |
| Tuberculosis | 0.26 | 0.31 | 0.17 | 0.14 | 0.12 |
Other Causes of Death.
There were 19 deaths from violence, including 7 suicides.
5 motor vehicle accidents and 7 other accidents.
Cancer of the Lung.
Although the figures of deaths from cancer of the lung have
shown a tendency to rise in the Borough during the past five years,
the numbers are not sufficiently large to be significant statistically.
On the other hand, we must not fall into the trap of minimising the
seriousness of a problem which is really a national rather than a
local one. That there is a large increase in diagnosed cancer of
the lung cannot be denied, but with the ever increasing efficiency
and availability of diagnostic methods, the actual increase in
incidence may not be so great as a superficial perusal of the figures
might suggest. Another factor which must be taken into account
is the fact that with the always increasing expectation of life there
must inevitably be an increase in these diseases which are more
prone to attack their victims in the later decades. The part which
smoking and atmospheric pollution play in the cause of this disease
are as yet undetermined, and it would be unwise at this stage to
dogmatize about matters which are still very much under investigation.
In conclusion, I should say that although this is a very