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
London County Council 1892
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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It will be observed by comparing the "factors for correction" that the most marked differences
of age and sex distribution occur between Greenwich (factor 1.02791), and St. Martin-in-the-Fields (factor
1.21665). It is interesting to note the constitution of these two populations as regards age and sex.
Population at each age period and for each sex per cent. of total population.
| District. | Sex. | All ages. | 0— | 5— | 10— | 15— | 20— | 25— | 35— | 45— | 55— | 65— | 75 and upwards. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwich | M. | 48.31 | 6.61 | 6.09 | 5.68 | 4.55 | 4.11 | 7.53 | 5.60 | 4.02 | 2.35 | 1.34 | .42 |
| F. | 51.69 | 6.61 | 6.14 | 5.49 | 4.90 | 4.83 | 8.25 | 5.98 | 4.34 | 2.72 | 1.74 | .69 | |
| St. Martin's | M. | 50.47 | 3.46 | 3.15 | 3.22 | 5.42 | 6.80 | 9.82 | 7.64 | 0.77 | 3.46 | 1.43 | .30 |
| F. | 49.53 | 3.32 | 3.49 | 3.78 | 5.06 | 7.28 | 9.98 | 6.79 | 5.05 | 2.89 | 1.41 | .41 |
From the column showing corrected death rates it will be seen that of the 8 western districts, 2
had, in 1892, a death rate above the London average; of the 5 northern, 2; of the 7 central, all; of the 7
eastern, all; and of the 14 southern, 7 were above this standard. The accompanying chart (IV ) shows
the districts which in 1885-92 had a mean death rate of 24 and upwards per 1,000 of population ; those
which had a mean death rate of 20-24 ; those which had a mean death rate of 16-20; and those
which had a mean death rate of less than 16 per 1,000.
The death rates prevailing during the period 1885-92 in the various groups of districts shown on chart II. (page 4) were as follows: groups 1 and 2 have, for convenience, been combined—
| Proportion of total population living more than two in a room (in tenements of less than five rooms). | Death rate "all causes" 1885-92. |
|---|---|
| Districts with under 15 per cent. | 17.51 |
| „ 15 to 20 „ | 19.51 |
| „ 20 to 25 „ | 20.27 |
| „ 25 to 30 ,, | 21.76 |
| 30 to 35 | 23.92 |
| „ over 35 „ | 25.07 |
| Infant mortality, 1892. | Infant mortality, 1892. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| deaths under year of age. | Deaths under 1 year to 1,000 births. | Deaths under 1 year of age | Deaths under 1 year to 1,000 births. | ||
| West — | East— | ||||
| Kensington | 590 | 159 | Shoreditch | 740 | 165 |
| Hammersmith | 488 | 167 | Bethnal-green | 775 | 158 |
| Fulham | 579 | 166 | Whitechapel | 474 | 155 |
| Paddington | 417 | 142 | St. George-in-the-East | 344 | 183 |
| Chelsea | 458 | 165 | Limehouse | 359 | 186 |
| St. George, Hanover-square | 216 | 142 | Mile-end Old-town | 612 | 153 |
| Westminster | 233 | 169 | Poplar | 963 | 164 |
| St. James | 68 | 129 | |||
| North— | South— | ||||
| St. Saviour, Southwark | 158 | 187 | |||
| Marylebone | 574 | 132 | St. George, South wark | 375 | 174 |
| Hampstead | 178 | 122 | Newington | 704 | 172 |
| Pancras | 1,186 | 166 | St. Olave | 85 | 184 |
| Islington | 1,417 | 148 | Bermondsey | 516 | 162 |
| Hackney | 901 | 133 | Rotherhithe | 198 | 150 |
| Central— | Lambeth | 1,250 | 135 | ||
| Battersea | 814 | 163 | |||
| St. Giles | 173 | 153 | Wandsworth | 620 | 147 |
| St. Martin-in-the-Fields | 36 | 146 | Camberwell | 1,157 | 155 |
| Strand | 132 | 229 | Greenwich | 801 | 148 |
| Holborn | 187 | 211 | Lewisham | 334 | 144 |
| Clerkenwell | 375 | 172 | Woolwich | 182 | 147 |
| St. Luke | 270 | 142 | Plumstead | 312 | 110 |
| London, City of | 110 | 165 | London | 20,361 | 154 |
The infant mortality rate of the several sanitary districts during 1885-92 is shown in Chart V.
It will be seen that the districts having the heaviest infant mortality correspond closely, but not exactly,
with those having the greatest death rate at all ages from all causes.