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
City of Westminster 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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49
(2) Voluntary Notifiable Diseases.
Tuberculosis.—The deaths for the last eight years are set forth below:—
The City of Westminster.
| Year. | Pulmonary. | Abdominal. | Meningeal. | Other. | Total. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths. | Rates. | Deaths. | Rates. | Deaths. | Rates. | Deaths. | Rates. | Deaths. | Rates. | |
| 1901 | 341 | 187 | 16 | 10 | 31 | 16 | 25 | 12 | 413 | 226 |
| 1902 | 328 | 178 | 18 | 9 | 32 | 17 | 35 | 17 | 413 | 224 |
| 1903 | 309 | 172 | 9 | 5 | 23 | 13 | 19 | 10 | 360 | 200 |
| 1901 | 271 | 153 | 12 | 6 | 26 | 14 | 32 | 18 | 341 | 192 |
| 1905 | 259 | 147 | 12 | 6 | 31 | 17 | 31 | 17 | 333 | 189 |
| 1906 | 237 | 136 | 13 | 7 | 36 | 20 | 25 | 14 | 311 | 178 |
| 1907 | 232 | 134 | 11 | 6 | 26 | 15 | 20 | 11 | 289 | 167 |
| 1908 | 208 | 118 | 11 | 6 | 25 | 14 | 26 | 14 | 270 | 154 |
These rates are calculated per 100,000 inhabitants, allowance being
made for the extra week included in 1908.
For purposes of comparison with the whole of London, differences
in the number of males and females, and their relative ages, have to be
taken into account. This may be effected by multiplying the rates by a factor (0.89205). The figures are then:—
| Year. | Pulmonary Tuberculosis. | Total Tubercular Rates. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County. | City. | County. | City. | |
| 1901 | 165 | 167 | 229 | 202 |
| 1902 | 161 | 159 | 223 | 199 |
| 1903 | 155 | 154 | 213 | 178 |
| 1904 | 163 | 136 | 217 | 171 |
| 1905 | 140 | 131 | 191 | 168 |
| 1906 | 144 | 121 | 196 | 158 |
| 1907 | 140 | 119 | 187 | 148 |
| 1908 | 132 | 105 | - | 137 |
The pulmonary consumption rates show a steady decrease both in
Westminster and the county. In regard to deaths from other
manifestations of the disease there does not appear to have been the
same decrease. This, however, is probably due to the enquiries which
are made as to deaths of infants, and a transference of deaths which
formerly would have been included under "marasmus" or other
heading.
On account of the number of common lodging houses and shelters
of various kinds, a great number of the poorest class are attracted to
Westminster, and some eventually find their way into the city
infirmaries, so that probably Westminster has more than its share of
consumptives.