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
Deptford 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford, Metropolitan Borough of]
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15
Special Noteworthy Causes of Sickness on Invalidity.
The foregoing table shows that, although yearly fluctuations occur,
the main features correspond very closely with the average experience.
The steady decline in mortality in infancy and early childhood will be
noted, while at the other extreme of life it will be observed that the
deaths over 65 years of age, steadily increasing, now provide 49 per cent.
of the total mortality. Moreover, people of advanced age are dying
more from the effects of degenerative diseases than from acute disease.
Thus, diseases of the heart, which bulk so prominently, are almost
entirely due to muscular degenerations associated with advancing
years. Cerebral haemorrhage and Arterio.sclerosis have their origin in
degenerative changes in the arterial system, while the Bronchitis of the
aged is closely connected with heart and arterial degeneration.
The following Table expresses as percentages of the total mortality the incidence in the various acre groups:—
| Average 1915.24 | Average 1925.25 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 16.3 | 9.4 | 8.6 | 7.2 | 8.3 | 6.5 | 8.1 | 6.7 |
| From 1.2 years | 4.7 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.6 |
| „ 2.5 years | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 1.1 |
| „ 5.15 years | 3.9 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| „ 15.25 years | 4.4 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 3.5 |
| „ 25.45 years | 12.3 | 10.5 | 11.1 | 10.2 | 8.8 | 10.0 | 7.4 | 8.9 |
| „ 45.65 years | 23.3 | 27.7 | 26.0 | 28.6 | 26.6 | 25.8 | 24.9 | 27.9 |
| 65 years and upwards | 30.8 | 39.6 | 42*2 | 43.8 | 45.3 | 49.5 | 47.1 | 49.4 |
The infantile mortality rate for 1935 was 52 per 1,000 births and the following Table gives the death-rates for England and Wales, London and Deptford for previous years:—
| Year | Deptford | England & Wales | London | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Death-rate per 1.000 Births | Death-rate per 1,000 Births | Death-rate per 1,000 Births | |
| Average for 10 years 1915-1924 | 231 | 90 | 87 | 85 |
| Average 1925-1929 | 129 | 64 | 71 | 65 |
| 1930 | 107 | 61 | 60 | 59 |
| 1931 | 93 | 53 | 66 | 65 |
| 1932 | 108 | 65 | 65 | 66 |
| 1933 | 82 | 54 | 64 | 59 |
| 1934 | 108 | 68 | 59 | 67 |
| 1935 | 74 | 52 | 57* | 58* |
* Provisional figures.