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
Wimbledon 1940
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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factor. This factor, for Wimbledon is 0.84. The adjusted death rate for Wimbledon for 1940 is consequently 13.92 per thousand of the population as compared with a figure of 14.3 per thousand for England and Wales.
| CAUSES OF DEATH. | Males | Females | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers | - | - | - |
| 2. Cerebro-spinal fever | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 3. Scarlet fever | - | 1 | 1 |
| 4. Whooping cough | - | - | - |
| 5. Diphtheria | - | 1 | 1 |
| 6. Tuberculosis of respiratory system | 15 | 6 | 21 |
| 7. Other forms of tuberculosis | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 8. Syphilitic diseases | 4 | - | 4 |
| 9. Influenza | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| 10. Measles | - | - | - |
| 11. Acute poliomyelitis & polio- encephalitis | 1 | - | |
| 12. Acute infectious encephalitis | 15 | - | |
| 13.M Cancer of buccal cavity and esophagus (males only) | 3 | - | 3 |
| 13.F Cancer of uterus | - | 7 | 7 |
| 14. Cancer of stomach and duodenum | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| 15. Cancer of breast | - | 10 | 10 |
| 16. Cancer of all other sites | 36 | 36 | 72 |
| 17. Diabetes | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 18. Intra-cranial vascular lesions | 30 | 32 | 62 |
| 19. Heart disease | 96 | 104 | 200 |
| 20. Other diseases of the circulatory system | 9 | 16 | 25 |
| 21. Bronchitis | 22 | 27 | 49 |
| 22. Pneumonia | 20 | 16 | 36 |
| 23. Other respiratory diseases | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| 24. Ulcer of the stomach or duodenum | 14 | 4 | 18 |
| 25. Diarrhœa (under 2 years of age) | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 26. Appendicitis | 2 | - | 2 |
| 27. Other digestive diseases | 10 | 12 | 22 |
| 28. Nephritis | 9 | 12 | 21 |
| 29. Puerperal and post-abortive sepsis | - | 1 | 1 |
| 30. Other maternal causes | - | - | — |
| 31. Premature birth | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 32. Congenital malformations, birth injury, infantile disease | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| 33. Suicide | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| 34. Road traffic accidents | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| 35. Other violent causes | 61 | 58 | 119 |
| 36. All other causes | 27 | 42 | 69 |
| Totals | 406 | 422 | 828 |
Over half the total deaths which occurred amongst Wimbledon
residents in 1940 were due to cancer, diseases of the heart and
circulation, and diseases of the respiratory system.
Infantile Mortality.
There were twenty-five infant deaths (including transferable
deaths) giving an Infantile Mortality Rate of forty-three per
thousand live births. In 1939 the figure was twenty-nine per
thousand. During 1940 the Infantile Mortality Rate for England
and Wales was fifty-five.
5.