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

Southwark 1908

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]

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Table: PHTHISIS.TUBERCULOSIS OF THE LUNG (including Phthisis) AND OTHER FORMS OF TUBERCULOSIS.Mortality Rates per 1,000,000 persons living.

PHTHISIS.

TUBERCULOSIS OF THE LUNG (including Phthisis) AND OTHER FORMS OF TUBERCULOSIS.

Mortality Rates per 1,000,000 persons living.

YEAR.Tuberculosis of the Lung (inoluding Phthisis)Other forms of Tuberculosis.
Males (All Ages).Females (All ages).Males (All ages).Females (All ages)Children (under five).
1898...............
1899...............
1900...............
1901294420608136804062
1902353317827827174600
1903285019329448315137
1904309217057686944693
1905262416246706633315
1906261614857456233772
1907257914715715733062
Averages289117237566834092

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On reference to the foregoing table it will be seen that a considerable
reduction in the mortality rate, both in Tuberculosis of the Lung and in
other forms of Tuberculosis, has taken place within the last seven years.
The mortality from Tuberculosis is still high, and is chiefly accounted for
by the large number of lodging houses in the Borough, by the casual
nature of the employment of so many of Qur inhabitants and the
consequent poverty, and by the hard struggle for existence seen around
us. The waste of life at all ages, and especially in children, is very great.
The improvement in children, as seen by the table, is due, I believe, to
an increase in the amount of breast-feeding of infants brought about by
the attention of the lady inspectors and to the advice given in regard to
that subject. We have not in Southwark a large number of mothers who