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 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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6
Births.
The number of births registered in the administrative county of London in 1903 (52 weeks)
was 130,906, giving a birth-rate of 28-4 per 1,000 living per annum. The steady decline in the
London birth-rate noted in previous reports has continued, and the birth-rate for 1903 is the
lowest recorded rate in London since the institution of civil registration.
The birth-rate in successive periods has been as follows—
| 1851-60 | 33.6 | 1893 | 31.01 | 1899. | 29.71 |
| 1861-70 | 35.4 | 1894 | 30.1 | 1900 | 29.11 |
| 1871-80 | 35.4 | 1895 | 30.61 | 1901 | 29.01 |
| 1881-90 | 33.2 | 1896 | 30.21 | 1902 | 28.51 |
| 1891 | 31.81 | 1897 | 30.11 | 1903 | 28.41 |
| 1892 | 30.91 | 1898 | 29.71 |
The accompanying diagram (II.) shows the London birth-rate in each year since 1850 in
relation to the mean birth-rate of the period 1851-1903.
The corresponding figures for England and Wales are as follows—
| 1851-60 | 34.2 | 1893 | 30 .7 | 1899 | 29 .1 |
| 1861-70 | 35.2 | 1894 | 29 .6 | 1900 | 28 .7 |
| 1.871-80 | 35.5 | 1895 | 30 .2 | 1901 | 28 .5 |
| 1881-90 | 32.5 | 1896 | 29 .6 | 1902 | 28.6 |
| 1891 | 31.4 | 1897 | 29 .5 | 1903 | 28 .4 |
| 1892 | 30.4 | 1898 | 29 .3 |
Deaths.
The number of deaths in the administrative county of London in 1903 (52 weeks) was
69,737, giving an annual death-rate of 15'2 per 1,000 living. The London death-rate in successive
periods has been as follows—
1 The rates for these years relate to the Administratire County of London ; the rates shown for the periods prerious to 1891,
relate to the Registration County of London.
2 Lying-in hospitals are situated in these districts.
The following table shows the birth-rate in the several metropolitan boroughs
| Metropolitan Boroughs. | Births. | Birth rate per 1,000 living. | Births per 100 married females aged 15-45. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddington | 3,303 | 22.7 | 19.8 |
| Kensington | 3,567 | 20.0 | 19.5 |
| Hammersmith | 2,989 | 25.9 | 21.0 |
| Fulham | 4,789 | 32.5 | 24.1 |
| 2Chelsea | 1,516 | 20.5 | 18.8 |
| Westminster, City of | 3,018 | 16.9 | 15.4 |
| 2St. Marylebone | 3,984 | 30.4 | 26.8 |
| Hampstead | 1,456 | 17.1 | 17.0 |
| 2St. Pancras | 6,339 | 27.0 | 21.1 |
| Islington | 8,983 | 26.6 | 20.8 |
| Stoke Newington | 1,091 | 21.0 | 17.8 |
| Hackney | 6,182 | 27.7 | 23.0 |
| 2Holborn | 1,631 | 28.3 | 23.3 |
| 2 Finsbury | 3,693 | 37.1 | 28.2 |
| London, City of | 338 | 13.8 | 14.6 |
| Shoreditch | 3,905 | 33.3 | 25.7 |
| Bethnal-green | 4,627 | 35.7 | 28.1 |
| 2Stepney | 11,329 | 37.6 | 29.6 |
| Poplar | 5,832 | 34.5 | 27.6 |
| Southwark | 6,717 | 32.5 | 24.2 |
| Bermondsey | 4,201 | 32.5 | 25.6 |
| 'Lambeth | 9,080 | 29.6 | 23.5 |
| Battersea | 4,961 | 28.7 | 21.6 |
| Wandsworth | 6,722 | 27.0 | 23.4 |
| Camberwell | 7,311 | 27.6 | 22.8 |
| Deptford | 3,379 | 30.1 | 23.3 |
| Greenwich | 2,716 | 27.3 | 23.6 |
| Lewisham | 3,563 | 26.2 | 22.7 |
| Woolwich | 3,684 | 30.4 | 23.3 |
| London | 130,906 | 28.4 | 232 |