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

Paddington 1914

Report on the vital statistics and the work of the Public Health Department for the years 1914-18 (inclusive)

This page requires JavaScript

Table: cancer. Number of Admissions ro Institutions Recorded for each Patient.

cancer. Number of Admissions ro Institutions Recorded for each Patient.

Dying during12No. of Admissions.56Average duration of stay (months).
34
191452107.........3.71
1915521631......4.18
1916652262...14.33
1917732154......4.31
1918391313......3.85
Totals281822210...14.12

Text

Copy text to clipboard

The decreases observed during 1918 can be ascribed to the war conditions.
" CANCER."
The deaths from the various forms of malignant new growths during 1914-18 numbered
989, 141 more than the total (848) for 1909-13—equivalent to an increase of 17 per cent.
(Index Number, 117). In Table VII., Appendix, a full analysis of the deaths during the last
five years is given.

Table: The growths have been classified in these Reports for several years in seven varieties. Below are shown the numbers ascribed to each of the seven varieties during the last two quinquennial periods. "Cancer ": Persons.

The growths have been classified in these Reports for several years in seven varieties. Below are shown the numbers ascribed to each of the seven varieties during the last two quinquennial periods. "Cancer ": Persons.

Totals.Carcinoma.Cancer.Epithelioma.Scirrhus.Sarcoma.Malignant Disease.Other Forms.
1909-13514136282163779
1914-18620162411848937
Percentages. (All "Cancer " deaths = 100.)
1909-1360.616.03.32.57.49.11.1
1914-1862.716.44.11.84.99.40.7
Index Numbers.
1914-18121119146867612178

Text

Copy text to clipboard

"Cancer" and" Malignant Disease" are undesirable designations. When either is found
in a death certificate enquiry is made to ascertain, if possible, more exact information. The
deaths entered under these headings constituted 25T per cent. of all "Cancer" deaths during
1909-13 and 24.7 during 1914-18.

Table: The changes in sex (all ages) incidence during the ten years is exhibited below. "Cancer."

The changes in sex (all ages) incidence during the ten years is exhibited below. "Cancer."

Variety.1909-13Totals.1914-18.Index Numbers. 1914-18.
M.F.M.F.M.F.
Carcinoma207307228392110128
Cancer488857105119119
Epithelioma2172219105271
Scirrhus12021620080
Sarcoma323126228471
Malignant Disease30473360110128
Other Forms454310060
Totals343505372617108122

Text

Copy text to clipboard

The total increase in the number of deaths of females (22 per cent.) was 14 per cent.
greater than that recorded among males, but too much significance should not be given to
the difference owing to the preponderance of males withdrawn for service with H.M. Forces.
As regards the high Index Numbers shown for certain varieties, the totals on which those
Numbers have been calculated are too small for comment.

Table: A comparison of analyses of deaths from all forms of "Cancer" in sex-age groups follows here. "Cancer"

A comparison of analyses of deaths from all forms of "Cancer" in sex-age groups follows here. "Cancer"

Ages.1909-13.Totals.1914-18.Index Numbers. 1914-18.
M.F.M.F.M.F.
0-3816...326037200100
10-123...3000
15-3...1267-
20-13...2067
25-611711117100
35-2547215184108
45-791156813286115
55-104119111159107134
65-87117122154140132
75-349040104118115

Text

Copy text to clipboard

The last comparative analysis, that of anatomical distribution, is shown on page 22.