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 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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19
Coronary disease
I have referred at considerable length to this condition in previous
reports. Active research is progressing and increasing, and the dietary
factor seems to be emerging as highly important (see p.16 of the 1955
annual report). The following table brings the Lewisham figures up to
date.
Table 9
Heart and circulation mortality
| Year | Deaths from | Total heart and circulation (all ages) | Age group 45-65 | Total deaths in borough | Percentage | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coronary diseases | Other heart diseases* | Other circulatory diseases† | Total | Coronary diseases | (e)of (h) | (f) of (h) | (g) of (h) | |||
| (a) | (b) | (c) | (d) | (e) | (f) | (g) | (h) | (i) | (j) | (k) |
| 1928 | 357 | 97 | 454 | 115 | - | 1993 | 23 | 5.8 | ? | |
| 1933 | 516 | 117 | 633 | 162 | - | 2271 | 28 | 7.1 | ? | |
| 1938 | 659 | 139 | 798 | 178 | - | 2403 | 33 | 7.4 | ? | |
| 1943 | 583 | 64 | 647 | 129 | - | 2359 | 21 | 5.5 | ? | |
| 1948 | 696 | 63 | 759 | 155 | 2253 | 34 | 6.9 | ? | ||
| 1953 | 775 | 113 | 888 | 140 | - | 2502 | 35 | 5.6 | - | |
| 1950 | 281 | 519 | 79 | 879 | 158 | 79 | 2413 | 36 | 6.5 | 3.3 |
| 1 | 288 | 528 | 78 | 894 | 154 | 87 | 2542 | 35 | 6.1 | 3.4 |
| 2 | 327 | 537 | 86 | 950 | 180 | 89 | 2580 | 37 | 7.0 | 3.5 |
| 3 | 331 | 444 | 113 | 888 | 140 | 84 | 2502 | 35 | 5.6 | 3.4 |
| 4 | 358 | 387 | 113 | 858 | 176 | 99 | 2231 | 38 | 7.9 | 4.4 |
| 5 | 329 | 464 | 115 | 908 | 148 | 94 | 2423 | 37 | 6.1 | 3.9 |
| 6 | 385 | 421 | 113 | 919 | 149 | 84 | 2513 | 37 | 5.9 | 3.3 |
4 means figure not available. *R.G. Code Nos. 19 and 20. †R.G. Code No. 21.
Lung cancer
The number of deaths decreased slightly last year, to 108 (96 males,
12 females) from 121 the year before. I have for some years now called
attention to the association of cigarette smoking with this form of
cancer, and have pointed out that here, at least, was one way in which
the number of cancer cases could be diminished. So far the rather
half-hearted national warnings on the subject have had little or no effect
on the total number of cigarettes smoked and it seems that for some
years yet the number of lung cancer cases will increase. An all-out
campaign against cigarette-smoking, directed especially to the schoolleaver
and the adolescent, would appear to be necessary.