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21
CAUSES OF DEATH.
Table No. 12 shows that 201 deaths were due to Organic Heart Disease,
131 to Cancer, 23 to Bronchitis, 47 to Pneumonia, 51 to Pulmonary
Tuberculosis, 39 to Circulatory Diseases, 50 to Cerebral Haemorrhage, 19
to Influenza and 13 to Congenital Debility and Malformation.
Fifty-five per cent. of all deaths occurred in persons over 65 years of age.
Organic Heart Disease.—Of the 204 deaths from cardiac diseases,
152 were in persons over the age of 65 years. In 1930, there were 167
deaths from Heart Disease, 120 being persons over the age of 65 years.
Cancer and Malignant Disease.—There were 131 deaths from
Cancer during the year a figure identical with that for 1930. Three
of the deaths were under 25 years of age ; 8 between the ages of 25 and
45 ; 52 between the ages of 45 and 65 ; and 68 above the age of 65
years.
There were 6,984 deaths from Cancer in London during the year, as
compared with 6,863 in 1930.
On request, rooms are disinfected after a death from Cancer, and
arrangements made for the removal, fumigation or destruction of
bedding. Twenty such applications were made during the year and
disinfection was carried out in each case.
Tuberculosis and the Infectious Fevers.—These are reviewed in
the section dealing with the notifiable infectious diseases.
Diarrhœa and Enteritis.—There were six deaths from these diseases,
a figure identical with that for 1930. Two of the deaths were under the
age of twelve months ; two between the ages of one and two ; one between
the ages of 45 and 65 ; and one above the age of 65 years.
During the September quarter the mean temperature was 59.4°, as
against 62.0° in 1930. The rainfall of this quarter in 1931 was 10.3
inches, as against 7.2 in 1930.
Violence and Suicide.—-Thirty-five deaths occured from violence
apart from suicide. Suicide was responsible for 11 deaths.
Puerperal Deaths.—Deaths from puerperal fever and from other
causes associated with childbirth are reviewed in Section II., page 33.
Respiratory Diseases.—Table No. 13 shows the number of deaths
from respiratory diseases during the past two years. The annual death
rate, the number of deaths under 5 years, and the percentage of deaths
occurring in children under 5 years of age is also shown :—-