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 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead Borough]
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4
In Table I, I set out the age groups of the persons we were
called in to help together with the incidence per 1,000 population.
TABLE I
| Males | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | No.of Cases | Population Census 1951 | Incidence per 1,000 |
| 65-69 | 9 | 1541 | 6 |
| 70-74 | 9 | 1105 | 8 |
| 75-79 | 15 | 692 | 22 |
| 80-84 | 10 | 35 | |
| 85-89 | 6 | 82 | 73 |
| 90-94 | – | 17 | – |
| 95 + | – | 1 | – |
| Total | 49 | 3724 | 13 |
| Females | |||
| Age Group | No.of Cases | Population Census 1951 | Incidence per 1,000 |
| 60-64 | 8 | 3228 | 2 |
| 65-69 | 7 | 2801 | 3 |
| 70-74 | 30 | 2125 | 14 |
| 75-79 | 34 | 1481 | 23 |
| 80-84 | 33 | 804 | 41 |
| 85-89 | 15 | 300 | 50 |
| 90-94 | 13 | 91 | 143 |
| 95 + | – | 12 | – |
| Total | l4o | 10842 | 13 |
By and large, it becomes obvious that it is in the age groups over
75 that help is required.
I think this must be considered in conjunction with
controversies and arguments which are now taking place as to the
proper age of retirement. The Council will be aware that with the
present increase in the span of life, a heavy financial toll rests
on the community in providing for retirement pensions. It has been
argued, however, that with this increase in the span of life there
is also an increase in the span of working capacity and that
individuals over 60 and 65 are more able to continue their normal
employment than heretofore. Certainly our figures show that it
is in age groups well over 60 and 65 that help is required and
our own experience justifies the statement that the average person
cannot be considered old in any sense of the word either at 60 or
65.