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 1906

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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20
Comparison can be made of certain causes of death in sanitary areas by reference to the following
table. The death-rates shown in the table are fully corrected for deaths in institutions (see footnote
(2) page 7) but are uncorrected for differences in the age and sex constitution of the population. In
the case of phthisis and of "cancer," viz., carcinoma, sarcoma, and cancer (otherwise undefined)
"factors for correction for differences in age and sex constitution" have been calculated, but these
factors and the corrected death-rates are shown on pages 49 and 54 respectively.

Table: Death-rates 'per100,000living from All Causes, and from Specified Causes, in each of the severalsanitary areas,1906 (365days).

Death-rates 'per100,000living from All Causes, and from Specified Causes, in each of the several

sanitary areas,1906 (365days).

Sanitary area.Measles.Rheumatic Fever.Carcinoma.Sarcoma.Cancer (not otherwise defined).Tabes Mesenteric.Tuberculous Meningitis.Phthisis.Other Tuberculous and Scrofulous Diseases.Pneumonia.Other Respiratory Diseases.All other Cause.All Causes.
Paddington1177073671311415871407521,259
Kensington449566361417129111291278101,388
Hammersmith47970841172312471211029111,480
Fulham336554271116113161301018611,373
Chelsea785729351117157201431598611,567
Westminster, City of10462632918139121381037671,300
St. Marylebone375495521112157201121489021,510
Hampstead11367123031066106559605941
St. Pancras416646361222182201651488971,599
Islington576527501124122141391388631,483
Stoke Newington21858936116984811017321,165
Hackney28640536161813126981108301,344
Holborn47765447520240181721889771,790
Finsbury12410554271243214212082091,1552,082
London, City of142894_42919183331401081,0801,750
Shoreditch637473222333205371931791,1651,977
Bethnal Green4595310342044224271921781,0801,916
Stepney597589261425172351841691,0301,788
Poplar649494231226155211602161,0291,768
Southwark458593261334207212041731,0251,818
Bermondsey7586212231727199352321921,1071,989
Lambeth241167825819136201331409181,509
Battersea26104964191912719951218111,333
Wandsworth2345044491810012106878301,287
Camberwell4012537381022125181271448771,473
Deptford618611025321127181151531,0211,623
Greenwich28545724919121151181048701,365
Lewisham145608278158413921017831,210
Woolwich2512544351217134191011128011,326
London418577341122144191381389021,521

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Principal Epidemic Diseases.
The number of deaths in the Administrative County of London from the principal epidemic
diseases, viz., smallpox, measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough, typhus, enteric fever,
pyrexia1 and diarrhœa during 1906 (52 weeks) was 9,047, giving an annual death-rate of 1.93 per 1,000
persons living.

Table: The death-rates in successive periods have been as follows:—Principal Epidemic Diseases.

The death-rates in successive periods have been as follows:—

Principal Epidemic Diseases.

Period.Death-rate per 1,000 persons living.Period.Death-rate per 1,000 persons living.
1841-505.2019012.222
1851-605.1319022.2l2
1861-705.2319031.752
1871-803.8619042.142
1881-903.0519051.702
1891-19002.68219061.932

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It will be seen from the following table that in the decennium 1896-1905 London had a lower
death-rate from these diseases than any of the undermentioned English towns except Bristol, Bradford,
and Newcastle-on-Tyne, and in 1906 was exceeded by the death-rates of all except Bristol.
1 Origin uncertain. Originally described as simple continued fever.
2 See footnote (2) page 7.