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
Hampstead 1925
Report for the year 1925 of the Medical Officer of Health
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The next table shows the infantile deaths classified according to diseases, that have occurred during the past five years:—
| CAUSES OF DEATH. | 1921. | 1922. | 1923. | 1924. | 1925. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.—Small Pox | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2.— Chicken-Pox | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3.—Measles | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 4.—Scarlet Fever | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5.—Whooping Cough | 4 | — | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 6.—Diphtheria and Croup | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 7.—Erysipelas | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 8.— Tuberculous Meningitis | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 |
| 9.— Abdominal Tuberculosis | — | — | — | — | — |
| 10.— Other Tuberculous Diseases | — | — | — | — | — |
| 11.—Meningitis (not Tuberculous) | — | 1 | — | 4 | — |
| 12.—Convulsions | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 13.—Laryngitis | — | — | — | — | — |
| 14.—Bronchitis | — | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 15.—Pneumonia (all forms) | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
| 16.— Diarrhœa | 15 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| 17.—Enteritis | |||||
| 18.—Gastritis | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 19.—Syphilis | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 20.—Rickets | — | — | — | — | - |
| 21.-Suffocation, overlying | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 22.—Injury at Birth | — | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| 23.—Atelectasis | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 24.—Congenial Malformations | 8 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| 25.— Premature Birth | 22 | 22 | 6 | 15 | 13 |
| 26.— Atrophy, Debility and Marasmus | 12 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 5 |
| 27.—Other Causes | 6 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 10 |
| Total deaths under one year of age | 88 | 72 | 54 | 66 | 59 |
| Total births registered | 1342 | 1290 | 1238 | 1186 | 1073 |
If, for the two periods of five years 1911-15 and 1921-1925, the
aggregate number of deaths under one year, and those under one month,
are compared, it will be seen that in the former period 40 per cent. of
the deaths of infants occurred during the first month of life, while in the
latter period the corresponding figure was 47. These figures show
that the reduction in the general infantile death rate has been effected
among the infants who survived the first month of life, and not among
the newly born during the first four weeks of life.
Year.
Total deaths
under one year
of age.
Total deaths
under four
weeks of age.
Year.
Total deaths
under one year
of age.
Total deaths
under four
weeks of age.
1911 105 39
1912 79 31
1913 91 40
1914 91 38
1915 101 41
1911-15 467 189
1921 88 39
1922 72 34
1923 54 26
1924 66 33
1925 59 29
1921-25 339 161