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 1921
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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20
TUBERCULOSIS
Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Intervals to Fatal Issue.
| Under 6 months | 10 | |||
| 6-12 „ | 14 | |||
| Under 1 year 24 | 3 years | 4 | 6 years | 2 |
| 1 — 19 | 4 — | 5 | 7 — | |
| 2 — 8 | 5 — | i | 9 — | 1 each |
| 10 — |
deaths within six months of the reputed onset was 10.0 per cent. last year, as compared with
13.2 during 1919-20, and 27.0 during 1914-18. Cases terminating within one year of the
onset formed 25.5 per cent. last year against 38.4 during 1919-20 and 43.0 during 1914-18.
Failure to Notify.—During the past year 34 cases of tuberculosis—19 of pulmonary and
15 of non-pulmonary—were known after registration of the deaths only. In 9 instances
certificates notifying the cases were received after the deaths of the patients, but for the
remaining cases no such certificates were received. Of the non-notified deaths 14—9 of
pulmonary and 5 of non-pulmonary—occurred within the Borough, and the remainder in
outlying districts. The 34 fatal cases, known after death only, formed 27.2 per cent. of the
total number of tuberculous deaths during the year, as compared with 23.2 during 1914-18.
Institutional Mortality.—Of the 125 deaths from tuberculosis 69 took place in institutions,
equal to 55.2 per cent. In 1919 the proportion was 53.4 per cent., and in 1920 55.4. Of the
deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis 55.3 per cent. occurred in institutions last year, as
compared with 53 in 1920, 45.7 in 1919, and 48.3 and 54.4 during the quinquennia 1909-13
and 1914-18. In the appended statement the percentages of deaths of males and females
Tuberculosis : Borough. Percentages of Deaths in Institutions.
| Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909-13 | 1914-18 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1909-13 | 1914-18 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | |
| Males | 52.7 | 57.3 | 519 | 57.8 | 611 | 539 | 711 | 600 | 687 | 937 |
| Females | 42.1 | 50.8 | 396 | 517 | 47.5 | 511 | 67.0 | 75.0 | 100 | 80 |
from the two main forms of tuberculosis which took place in institutions during the years
1909-21 are set out. The changes in the distribution of institutional deaths are indicated in the
following statement.
Tuberculosis: Borough Percentages of all deaths in Institutions.
| Class of Institution. | Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914-18 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1914-18 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | |
| Poor Law | 60.0 | 43.7 | 54.5 | 38.4 | 48.6 | 26.0 | 46.6 | 44.4 |
| Hospitals—General and Special | 12.8 | 18.7 | 15.1 | 28.8 | 34.9 | 56.5 | 46.6 | 37.3 |
| M.A.B. Hospitals | 7.5 | 8.3 | 24.2 | 17.3 | 8.9 | 13.0 | 6.6 | — |
| Approved Sanatoria | 2.0 | — | — | 3.8 | 2.0 | — | — | 3.7 |
| Mental Hospitals | 17.5 | 29.1 | 6.0 | 11.5 | 5.4 | 4.3 | — | 14.4 |
Cancer : Malignant Disease.
The deaths recorded annually from the various neoplasmata which are included under
this general heading numbered 156 in 1909 increased to 211 in 1914, and fell to 164 in 1918,
since which year the numbers have risen to 170 in 1919, 194 in 1920 and 226 in 1921. During
the quinquennium 1909-13 the annual average was 170 and during the following five years
(1914-18), 198, an increase of over 16 per cent. In comparison with the average for the first
quinquennium last year.s total shows an increase of 32 per cent. (See Table IXa) and of 14
per cent. above the average for the second. The increase in the proportion of deaths to deaths
from all causes is clearly shown by the appended figures. A better understanding of the