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
Hammersmith 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hammersmith Borough]
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3
STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
OF THE AREA.
General Statistics, 1948.
There has been a slight fall in the population of the Borough,
but the natural increase resulting from an excess of births
over deaths has been maintained. The fall in the population,
therefore, is likely to be due to an outward movement of
people to other parts of the country.
Area 2,282.5 acres
Population (1947) (estimated) 117,280
„ (1948) 115,800
„ Census (1901) 112,239
„ (1911) 121,521
„ (1921) 130,295
„ (1931) 135,521
Natural increase, i.e., excess of births over deaths 847
Density of population (persons per acre) 50.74
Marriages registered 1,366
Rateable value (April, 1948) £1,229,454
Sum represented by a penny rate (April, 1948) £4,800
Vital Statistics.
As in the previous year, one maternal death only was recorded
in the Borough. The infant mortality rate is the lowest that
has been recorded in Hammersmith, and it may seem appropriate
that this happy position occurred during the last year
that the Borough Council was responsible for the Maternity
and Child Welfare Services.
There is no change in the number of deaths from Cancer and
this condition remains one of our most serious problems.
There were no deaths from Typhoid, Dysentery or Food Poisoning.
| Total. | M. | F. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Births | Legitimate | 1,967 | 1,036 | 931 | Birth Rate per 1,000 estimated resident population=18.5 |
| Illegitimate | 182 | 105 | 77 | ||
| Stillbirths | 39 | 21 | 18 | Rate per 1,000 total (live and still) births=17.8 | |
| Deaths | 1,302 | 667 | 635 | Death Rate per 1,000 estimated average population=11.2 | |
| Death from puerperal causes- | |||||
| Deaths | Rate per 1,000 total (live and still) birth. 0.45 | ||||
| Other puerperal causes | — | — | |||
| Total | 1 | 0.45 | |||
| Death Rate of Infants under one year of age:- | |||||
| All Infants per 1,000 live births | 35 | ||||
| Legitimate Infants per 1.000 legitimate live births | 32.53 | ||||
| Illegitimate Infants per 1,000 illegitimate live births | 60.43 | ||||
| Deaths from Cancer (all ages) | 254 | ||||
| „ „ Measles (all ages) | - | ||||
| „ „ Whooping Cough (all ages) | 2 | ||||
| „ „ Diarrhœa (under 2 years of age) | 4 | ||||