London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Merton and Morden 1939
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]
This page requires JavaScript
DEATHS.
The number of registered deaths after adjustment by
transferable deaths was 516 of which 270 were males and 246
females.
The crude death rate was 7.2 per thousand population as
against 7.3 of the year before.
The comparable death rate arrived at by the application
of the areal comparability factor of 1.21 to allow for age and
sex differences of the local population and that of the country
as a whole was 8.7 which compares with 12.1 for England and
Wales.
Seasonal mortality is indicated by the deaths for each
quarter of the year, which were:—
First quarter 159; second quarter 109;
third quarter 116; fourth quarter 127.
The following table shows the death rates for each ward
and the mean age at death:—
TABLE III.
Ward Death Rates and Mean Age at Death.
| Wards | Deaths | Death Rate (crude) | Mean age at death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey | 65 | 12.5 | 53.24 yrs. |
| Bushey Mead | 61 | 7.6 | 58.83 „ |
| Central | 52 | 5.0 | 55.34 „ |
| Morden | 62 | 6.3 | 52.87 „ |
| Park | 80 | 7.9 | 58.51 „ |
| Ravensbury | 89 | 5.5 | 57.02 „ |
| Raynes Park | 49 | 6.6 | 62.97 „ |
| St. Helier | 59 | 4.7 | 40.08 „ |
| West Barnes | 44 | 6.4 | 57.38 „ |
| Whole District | 511 | 6.6 | 55.16 yrs. |
The lower average age at death in the more recently
developed wards, Morden, Central, St. Helier and Ravensbury,
is mainly a reflection of the lower average age of their populations
and does not indicate that the chances of longevity are
any less than in the older parts of the district.
The mean age at death for the whole district for the
last five years was as follows:—
1935—52.7 vrs.; 1936—54.5 yrs.; 1937—54.0 yrs.;
1938—53.9 vrs.; 1939—55.16 vrs.
15