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
Islington 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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built-up and rural areas, and it is therefore thought that atmospheric pollution may
also be another contributory factor in the increase in lung cancer. The lastmentioned
factor would not, however, explain the very much greater risk, five or
six to one, for the male as compared with the female. That heavy cigarette smoking
increases the risk as a view which has now considerable authoritative and official
support both in this country and in the United States of America. In our present
state of knowledge, the later in life the adolescent or young adult postpones taking
to cigarette smoking, the better will be his chances of avoiding a health calamity
of this kind.
Other Forms of Cancer. Deaths from all other forms of cancer, male and female,
showed a diminution on previous years.
Diseases of the Heart and Circulatory System. Diseases from causes of this
nature were considerably less in 1953 as compared with 1952, and this reduction
made a substantial contribution to the lower death-rate for the year.
Diseases of the Respiratory System. Deaths due to pneumonia and bronchitis
were much the same as previously.
Accidents.
The following table gives the deaths from accidents in Islington from 1949 onwards :—
| 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle accidents | 14 | 24 | 26 | 18 | 18 | |
| Other violent accidents | 60 | 61 | 61 | 48 | 46 | |
The Report of the Standing Interdepartmental Committee on Accidents in
the Home, issued with Home Office Circular 106/1953, stated that the majority of
accident victims are young children and old people, more than 25% being under 15
and more than 50% over 65. More children under 15 died from home accidents
than from any single infectious disease ; between the ages of one and five years
a fatal accident in the home is the third largest cause of death.
The following table shows the Islington accident deaths (excluding road accidents) according to age groups and sex :—
| Under 1 yr. | 1-5 | 5-15 | 15-45 | 45-65 | Over 65 yrs. | All Ages | Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 29 | 60 | 36 | 24 |
| 1950 | 2 | 4 | — | 8 | 4 | 43 | 61 | 27 | 34 |
| 1951 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 35 | 61 | 26 | 35 |
| 1952 | — | — | 2 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 48 | 33 | 15 |
| 1953 | 3 | 4 | — | 6 | 7 | 26 | 46 | 26 | 20 |
There is no information regarding the number of non-fatal accidents in the
home, but it is obvious that the annual toll of injury and death represents a considerable
financial as well as human loss.
It is to be regretted that Home Safety Committees have not been encouraged
and have not been organised as have Road Safety Committees.
Suicides. Suicide deaths, at 33, showed a considerable increase for some unknown
reason, as compared with the suicide deaths, at 18, for 1952. There was an increase
of only one for the females who committed suicide, but the number of males
increased from 11 to 25 and of these 12, or practically half, were aged 45 to 65.