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
Paddington 1911
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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35
TUBERCULOSIS.
and 6 per cent, respectively, the other districts showing decreases amounting to 12 per cent, in
Kensington, 8 per cent, in Westminster, 17 per cent. in Hampstead, and 5 per cent, in Willesden
In the Metropolis as a whole last year's rate (1.34) showed a decrease of 4 per cent, from the
mean (1.39).
Last year's rate was the highest of the series, but differed by 0.02 per 1,000 only from the
rates recorded in 1909 and 1906. It will be seen from the appended statement that the deaths
allocated to four out of the eight Wards were less than the average numbers for those Wards.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Deaths in Wards.
| Queen's Park. | Harrow Road. | Maida Vale. | Westbourne. | Church. | Lancaster Gate, | Hyde Park. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West. | East. | |||||||
| 1911 | 27 | 35 | 18 | 35 | 33 | — | 4 | 11 |
| 1906-10 | 22 | 30 | 20 | 30 | 37 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1910 | 11 | 36 | 20 | 27 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 1909 | 21 | 35 | 23 | 29 | 40 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 1908 | 29 | 26 | 12 | 31 | 40 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 1907 | 29 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 38 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 1906 | 20 | 27 | 24 | 31 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
The most noteworthy decreases were those in Westbourne and Church Wards. Those
decreases are so described, not from their dimensions, but from a consideration of the large
proportions of the poorer class of inhabitants to be found therein. How far the smaller numbers
of deaths have been brought about by shrinkage of populations and not by improved hygienic
conditions cannot be determined until the full results of the last census are known.
Institutional Treatment.—This is the only point in connection with the mortality from
pulmonary tuberculosis selected for comment. Of the 163 deaths recorded last year 80 took
place in public institutions. The increase in the proportion of persons " segregated " during the
last stages of their disease is clearly shown in the appended tabulation, from which it appears
that males take advantage of institutional care to a considerably greater degree than do females,
the proportion of the latter having decreased during the years covered by the tabulation :—
Pulmonary Tuberculosis : Proportions (per cent.) of Deaths in Institutions.
1911. 1910. 1909.
Males 54.4 46.6 47.4
Females 42.4 42.6 43.5
Persons 49.0 44.8 45.9
The proportion of deaths in Poor Law Institutions was nearly 25 per cent, higher last year than in 1910, and over 80 per cent. in the case of Lunatic Asylums. The numbers and proportions (per cent.) recorded in the past two years are set out below.
| Occurring in | Pulmonary Tuberculosis. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbers of Deaths, | Proportions (per cent.), | |||
| 1911 | 1910. | 1911. | 1910. | |
| Poor Law Institutions | 56 | 35 | 34.3 | 27.5 |
| " Homes for the Dying " | 6 | 8 | 3.6 | 6.2 |
| General Hospitals | 6 | 7 | 3.6 | 5.5 |
| Special Hospitals | 5 | 3 | 3.0 | 2.3 |
| Lunatic Asylums | 7 | 3 | 4.2 | 2.3 |
Some of the excess proportion of male deaths in institutions is explained by the larger
number of deaths from acute phthisis (11) among that sex and the very large proportion of such
deaths (91.6 per cent.) which occurred in institutions. That fact does not, however, afford a
complete explanation of the difference, as a larger proportion of males die in institutions at each