London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Islington 1913

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington, Metropolitan Borough of]

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91
1913
TUBERCULOSIS.
Pulmonary Phthisis, Tabes Mesenterica, Tuberculous Meningitis, Tuberculosis
of the Larynx, General Tuberculosis, and other form of Tuberculosis,
such as Lupus, Tuberculous Caries, and Pott's Disease.
These diseases in combination caused 535 deaths, as contrasted with a
decennial average of 587, while the death-rate was 1.61 per 1,000 of the
estimated population, as contrasted with a decennial death-rate of 1.77. Thus,
there was a decrease of 52 on the average number of deaths, and of 0.16 on
the mean death-rate.
The number of deaths from tuberculosis has been gradually decreasing
since 1893, which the Medical Officer of Health has shown graphically on the
chart facing p. 87 of this report, and although now and again the deaths
exhibit a peak, yet these peaks as the years pass become lower and lower,
so that there is every hope, if proper energetic and sustained efforts be
now made, that before another generation passes awav the disease will no
longer demand such a heavy toll from the ranks of our people, as it has done
in the past.

The actual number of deaths from tuberculosis in each year since 1891 has been as follows: —

Year.Deaths.Death Kates.Year.Deaths.DeathRates.
l8917172.2419036321.90
18926772.0919046822.05
18937582.3219055801.75
18946732.0419065781.74
18957632.2819076081.84
18967302.I619086041.83
18976892.0419095821.77
18986862.0419105391.64
18997292.1719115121.56
19007102.1119125531.69
19016772.02Average 6521.97
19026722.01___
19135351.61

Pulmonary Phthisis.—The chief factor in causing this (tuberculosis)
mortality was, of course, pulmonary phthisis, to which 420 deaths were
ascribed, or 78'5 per cent, of all deaths from tubercular diseases. They also
represented 8-35 per cent, of the deaths from all causes during the year.