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
Lewisham 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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15
Causes of Death.
In Table No. 5, the causes of death are set out in detail,
and it is only necessary to comment on the following: —
Cancer.—The deaths from cancer and malignant disease
numbered 267, or 14 more than the previous year. The figures
for previous years, set out in the following Table, show that the
mortality from this disease is increasing in proportion .to the
total deaths:—
| Year. | Deaths from Cancer. | Percentage to total deaths. | Year. | Deaths from Cancer. | Percentage of total deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | 194 | 10.5 | 1920 | 215 | 11.4 |
| 1914 | 182 | 9.7 | 1921 | 242 | 13.1 |
| 1915 | 223 | 10.6 | 1922 | 238 | 12.0 |
| 1916 | 189 | 9.7 | 1923 | 251 | 13.5 |
| 1917 | 200 | 10.4 | 1924 | 253 | 13.0 |
| 1918 | 196 | 8.8 | 1925 | 267 | 13.8 |
| 1919 | 223 | 11.6 |
| Bronchitis | 161 |
| Pneumonia (all forms) | 114 |
| Other Respiratory Diseases | 28 |
| Total | 303 |
Zymotic Diseases.—The deaths from the diseases grouped
under this heading during the year 1925 and previous years are
set out in Table 7. The death-rate from these diseases (excluding
Diarrhœ and Enteritis) was 0.7, compared with 0.4 in
1924.
| 1921. | 1922. | 1923. | 1924. | 1925. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enteric Fever | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Measles | 4 | 17 | 2 | 17 | 3 |
| Scarlet Fever | 5 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Whooping Cough | 9 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 18 |
| Diphtheria | 28 | 32 | 27 | 10 | 17 |
| Diarrhœ and Enteritis | 56 | 18 | 30 | 12 | 17 |