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 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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50
Lung Cancer.—In recent years there has been a marked rise in
the incidence of cancer of the lung and the following table has been
included in order that the trend in this Borough may be studied:—
DEATHS FROM CANCER OF LUNG (including Bronchogenic Carcinoma)
| Year | AGE GROUPS | Totals | Grand Total | Rate per 1,000 Pop. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 and under 35 yrs. | 35 and under 45 yrs. | 45 and under 55 yrs. | 55 and under 65 yrs. | 65 and under 75 yrs. | 75 yrs. and up-wards | |||||||||||
| M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | |||
| 1965 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 16 | 7 | 47 | 10 | 59 | 9 | 23 | 8 | 147 | 37 | 184 | 0.79 |
| 1966 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 17 | 6 | 44 | 5 | 46 | 4 | 19 | 6 | 132 | 24 | 156 | 0.68 |
| 1967 | 1 | — | 2 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 39 | 16 | 55 | 21 | 27 | 7 | 139 | 51 | 190 | 0.82 |
Pneumonia
There were six children under one year of age and 158 persons
over 65 years in a total of 178 deaths from pneumonia registered
during 1967. The total, which consisted of 75 males and 103 females,
showed a decrease of 59 from that of the previous year indicating
a fall of 25%. Compared with rates of 0.68 and 0.78 for England
and Wales and Greater London respectively, the Borough returned
a rate of 0.77 which was 0.26 less than that for 1966. In each case
the rate was somewhat lower than formerly.
Bronchitis
During the current year, Greenwich had a total of 135 bronchitis
deaths, 92 males and 43 females, giving a rate of 0.58 compared
with that of 0.59 both for Greater London and for England and
Wales. The Greenwich total indicated a decrease of over 9% but
there were 6 deaths of children under the age of one year.
Tuberculosis
Despite the great improvement witnessed in recent times in respect
of the control of tuberculosis, it is clear that the preventive services
have still a vital part to play during the coming years for, with
the exception of pneumonia, tuberculosis continues to cause more
deaths than any other notifiable infectious disease.
Deaths in the Borough from all forms of tuberculosis numbered
12, producing a rate of 0.05 per 1,000 population. Of the deaths
registered, 8 were males and 4 females, one of the former being of
the non-pulmonary type.
The comparable rate for England and Wales was 0.04 and that
returned for Greater London, 0.05.