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
Greenwich 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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20
Little variation in the pattern of death registrations occurred
during the year, the fourth quarter producing the most (27.6%)
and the third quarter the least (21.7%).
It will be observed from the following table that during 1957
the deaths occurring at 65 years and upwards accounted for 61.6%
of the total compared with a figure of 22.8% for 1901.
Deaths in the age group 0-5 years in 1901 amounted to 37.4% whilst the figure for the current year is 4.7%.
| Age Group | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1957 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year of age | 362 | 306 | 175 | 97 | 29 | 36 |
| Between 1 and 5 years | 187 | 158 | 80 | 39 | 7 | 4 |
| Between 5 and 15 years | 64 | 67 | 58 | 22 | 10 | 7 |
| Between 15 and 25 years | 66 | 60 | 67 | 65 | 12 | 12 |
| Between 25 and 65 years | 454 | 474 | 466 | 382 | 311 | 270 |
| 65 years and over | 335 | 356 | 387 | 529 | 633 | 527 |
| Totals | 1,468 | 1,421 | 1,243 | 1,134 | 1,002 | 856 |
MATERNAL MORTALITY
One maternal death was recorded during the current year, this
being the first such death since 1952 when there were 3.
At the coroner's inquest the death (that of a registered nurse
of 23 years) was attributed to ' acute bacterial endocarditis due to
septic abortion with retained products. Not fully nor further
disclosed by evidence.' No indictment of the Public Health
Services can follow such a verdict.
INFANTILE MORTALITY
The Infantile Mortality Rate, measured by the deaths of
children under one year of age to the number of live births registered
was 28.82 per thousand live births as compared with 15.07 for last
year and 20.89, the average for the previous ten years. For the
County of London the rate was 21.9 and for England and Wales
23.1 per 1,000 related live births.
The present Borough figure of 28.82 is 6.92 higher than that for
London and, in addition to showing an increase of 13.75 over that
returned for the previous year, is 7.93 greater than the average for
the last 10 years. Deaths occurring during the first week of the
neo-natal period account mainly for the increase.