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 1907

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

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9
London mortality in 1907 compared with the mortality in the decennium 1891-1900.
The following table shows the mean death-rates obtaining in London at the several age-periods
and for each sex in the decennium 1891-1900 and in the year 1907. The figures for the year 1907 are fully
corrected for institution deaths (see footnote (1), page 8), and the rates for the decennium 1891-1900
are based upon figures which have been corrected for institution deaths on the basis of the experience
of the four years 1897-1900; a fuller discussion of this point will be found in the London Life Table
appended to my report for the year 1901.

Table: Death-rates per 1,000 living at the several age-periods in 1907 as compared with those of thedecennium 1891-1900.

Death-rates per 1,000 living at the several age-periods in 1907 as compared with those of the

decennium 1891-1900.

Age-period.Males.Females.
Mean death-rate 1891-1900.Death-rate 1907.Difference per cent.Mean death-rate 1891-1900.Death-rate 1907.Difference per cent.
0—71.9746.21—35.861.9939.44—36.4
5—4.973.41—31.45.173.61—30.2
10—2.461.65—32.92.481.83—26.2
15—3.472.52—27.42.942.34—20.4
20—4.593.13—31.83.462.44—29.5
25—7.365.07—31.15.653.91—30.8
35—14.2210.50—26.210.687.79—27.1
45—23.141903—17.817.1213.57—20.7
55—40.6835.21—13.431.0125.85—16.6
65—77.7875.42—3.063.4457.99— 8.6
75—154.13143.57—6.9134.56124.34—7.6
85 and upwards284.10348.66+22.7265.77317.41+ 19.4
All ages20.8815.72—24.717.8813.53—243

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It will be seen from this table that the rate of mortality in 1907 was considerably lower than that
of the period 1891-1900 at each age-period of life and for each sex, except at the period 85 and upwards.
In previous annual reports it has been shown that a more accurate estimate of the effect on
the community of fluctuations of mortality could be obtained by the use of a Life Table, the method
adopted being similar to that employed by Dr. Tatham in a report on the health of greater Manchester
for the period 1891-3. The advantages of this method and the formula) used are set out in some
detail in the London Life Table appended to the annual report for 1901. It will be seen from the
description therein contained that in order to apply this method of comparison it is necessary in the
first place to ascertain from the Life Table the mean future lifetime of males and females in groups of
ages corresponding to those age-groups to which the deaths relate. The following table shows the
results thus obtained from the London Life Table, 1891-1900:—

Table: Table I.Mean future lifetime of males and females in groups of ages, calculated from theLondon Life Table , 1891-1900.

Table I.

Mean future lifetime of males and females in groups of ages, calculated from the

London Life Table , 1891-1900.

Age-group.Males.Females.Age-group.Males.Females.
Years.Years.Years.Years.
0—50.1653.6635—23.9826.89
5—49.8953.4845—17.7520.04
10—45.6149.3055—12.3513.93
15—41.2644.9465—7.988.90
20—37.0540.6275—4.915.37
25—31.0534.3985 and upwards3.023.19

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In the following table the number of deaths occurring in the year 1907 at each age-period and
for each sex is compared with the number of deaths which would have occurred had the death-rates of
the period 1891-1900 been maintained in the year 1907. The number of lives gained in the latter period
is also shown, and the figures in the last column of the table express this gain in terms of " life capital,"
these being obtained by applying the mean future lifetime figures given in Table I. to the number of
lives gained at each age-group:—