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
Paddington 1914
Report on the vital statistics and the work of the Public Health Department for the years 1914-18 (inclusive)
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mortality in childhood.
The average mortality among males during 1909-13 was 117 per 1,000 births, and that
during 1914-18, 119—an increase of one per cent. only. Among females the mortalities
were 94 and 98—an increase of 4 per cent. in the second period. Among males the
mortality recorded in the second five years was lower in Harrow Road and Lancaster
Gate, Last, Wards, and that among females in Queen's Park, Westbourne, Lancaster
Gate. West, and Hvde Park Wards.
The total deaths occurring during 1914-18 at ages under one year are distributed by sex, ages and causes in Table XII., Appendix. From that Table the following summary figures (annual average numbers) have been compiled:-
| Average Annual Numbers of Deaths | Males. | Females. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Ages. | 1909-13 | 1914-18 | 1909-13 | 1914-18 |
| Under one day | 21 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
| „ „ week | 40 | 31 | 26 | 25 |
| „ ,, month | 63 | 43 | 51 | 40 |
| „ three months | 98 | 84 | 73 | 64 |
| Three to six „ | 31 | 27 | 27 | 22 |
| Six to nine „ | 29 | 21 | 18 | 17 |
| Nine to twelve „ | 21 | 21 | 21 | 17 |
The sex mortality rates per 1,000 births, calculated on the average number of births recorded in each period were—
| At Ages | Under 1 day. | Under 1 week. | Under 1 month. | Under 3 months. | 3-6 months. | 6-9 months. | 9-12 months. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909-13 | 14 | 26 | Males. 41 | 64 | 20 | 19 | 14 | ||
| 1914-18 | 12 | 24 | 34 | 66 | 84 | 21 | 16 | 33 | 16 |
| 1909-13 | 11 | 18 | Females. 34 | 49 | 87 | 18 | 12 | 31 | 14 |
| 1914-18 | 9 | 20 | 33 | 53 | 68 | 18 | 14 | 26 | 14 |
| 71 | 28 | ||||||||
From the same Table the following average group mortality rates are obtained :—
| Group. | Males. | Females. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909-13 | 1914-18 | 1909-13 | 1914-18 | |
| I. | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| II. | 21 | 23 | 21 | 20 |
| III. | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| IV. | 45 | 42 | 34 | 32 |
| V. | 29 | 31 | 22 | 25 |
Hopeless Births.—This phrase has been adopted to describe those children whose deaths
are recorded before or simultaneously with their births. The figures about to be given are
not quite complete, inasmuch as the necessary information as regards such cases occurring
outside the Borough is not available.
During 1914-18 302 instances were noted—179 of male births and 123 of female. In the
preceding five years there were 409 similar cases—268 among boys and 201 among girls.
The totals for the two periods were equivalent to 3.2 and 2.7 percent. of the births registered
locally, showing a reduction of 0.5 per cent. in the later period.
The principal causes of death were "premature birth," "congenital malformations"
and "atrophy and debility," to which causes 70.3 per cent. of the deaths of boys and 67.4
per cent. of those of girls were due during 1914-18.
Special Areas.—For several years the data relating to infantile mortality have been
extracted for six groups of streets which form areas with marked characteristics. Of those
areas—see Table 15—all but one, viz., Queen's Park—are composed almost exclusively of
houses registered under Section 94 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891—"houses let in
lodgings." A discussion of these statistics cannot be included in this Report, but the figures
are on record.