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
Shoreditch 1911
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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diarrhoea, measles and whooping cough accounted for the greater number. The
death-rate from these infectious diseases was 61 per 1,000 inhabitants as compared
with 4.5 in 1910, 5.9 in 1909, 5.4 in 1908, 6.5 in 1907, 6.7 in 1906, 6.2 in 1905, 6.8
in 1904 and 6.5 in 1903.
In the subjoined table the deaths from the infectious diseases referred to above have been grouped according to age:—
| Age period. | Under 1 | 1-5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 25-35 | 35-45 | 45-55 | 55-65 | 65-75 | 75-85 | 85 and upwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of deaths | 195 | 225 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 54 | 50 | 47 | 11 | 4 | .. |
Nearly two-thirds of the deaths were of children under five years of age. Of
the total number of deaths of children under five years of age from all causes 42
per cent, resulted from the infectious diseases referred to as compared with 35 per
cent, in 1910, 43 in 1909, 40 in 1908, and 42 per cent, in 1907. In infants under
one year diarrhoea was the chief cause of death, more than half resulting from this
disease. Measles, tuberculosis and whooping cough accounted for most of the other
deaths during this age period. Amongst children aged from one to five years,
measles was the most active cause of death, but diarrhoea, tuberculosis,
whooping cough and diphtheria also caused many deaths. The chief cause of the
mortality from infectious diseases amongst persons aged from 20 to 65 years was
consumption. Amongst persons over 65 years diarrhoea was the chief cause.
The deaths from the principal zymotic diseases namely small-pox, measles,
scarlet fever, diphtheria and membranous crop, whooping cough, enteric fever and
diarrhoea numbered 349 as compared with 217 for 1910. The death-rate due to
these diseases which is termed the zymotic death-rate was 3'2 per 1,000 inhabitants
as compared with 1.9 in 1910, 2.7 in 1909, 1.9 in 1908, 2.9 in 1907, 3.1 in 1906,
2.8 in 1905, 3.2 in 1904, 2.8 in 1903, 3.6 in 1902, 2.9 in 1901, 3.1 in 1900, 3.6 in
1899, 4.1 in 1898, 4.2 in 1897, 4.3 in 1896, 3.8 in 1895, 2.8 in 1894 and 4.7 in 1893.
The zymotic death-rate although markedly higher than for 1910, none the less
did not exceed the average for the years given. A comparison of the zymotic
death-rate of London and Shoreditch and the eight Wards of the Borough is given
in Table VI. (Appendix). The rate was highest in Kingsland Ward and Church
Ward, and lowest in Moorfields, beine 3.8 for each of the former and 1.8 for the
latter.
Excluding cases of cerebro-spinal fever and polio-myelitis which together
numbered 6, ophthalmia neonatorum 32, and phthisis, the cases of notifiable infectious
disease numbered 594, an increase of 66 on the number for 1910.
The numbers of