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

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London County Council 1907

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

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Number of children for whom certificates of conscientious objection were obtained together with the number of children not finally accounted for (including cases postponed) per cent of births.

Metropolitan Union.1898.1899.1900.1901.1902.1903.1904.1905.
Bethnal-green67.048.249.252.244.144.942.842.0
Camberwell41.229.723.020.021.421.823.623.4
Chelsea17.314.916.013.414.913.910.08.9
Fulham15.412.613.712.011.812.711.510.8
St. George, Hanover-square11.19.07.15.87.55.14.94.4
St. George-in-the-East34.635.033.530.629.727.715.717.3
St. Giles and St. George32.533.033.630.727.124.917.920.4
Greenwich17.214.213.812.611.111.110.49.7
Hackney49.038.640.438.526.125.526.928.2
Hammersmith13.811.79.18.39.47.27.48.0
Hampstead15.410.311.010.09.29.59.29.2
Holborn43.831.828.527.623.220.720.420.6
Islington31.129.226.221.617.717.015.917.5
Kensington13.510.29.29.07.26.66.65.5
Lambeth30.625.220.622.220.421.016.917.3
Lewisham27.822.620.715.713.515.414.013.8
London, City of25.418.314.211.311.311.813.015.3
Marylebone18.020.917.714.612.510.810.410.8
Mile End Old Town68.969.968.066.158.859.847.347.1
St. Olave (Bermondsey)32.523.621.818.017.516.316.615.7
Paddington14.714.613.511.010.111.712.713.3
St. Pancras36.736.132.932.826.225.323.122.1
Poplar63.650.149.049.144.246.945.445.3
Shoreditch68.852.453.044.736.436.634.836.7
Southwark32.630.327.626.825.424.924.324.2
Stepney48.646.944.444.337.235.832.932.9
w Strand25.219.719.216.119.018.615.011.8
Wandsworth and Clapham32.225.123.020.519.217.216.314.8
Westminster17.414.812.213.313.412.111.08.2
Whitechapel11.814.513.110.59.510.19.110.6
Woolwich10.28.37.59.89.77.17.26.6
London34.428.726.825.222.121.720.220.1

In respect of vaccination, London compares unfavourably with the provinces, and has, indeed,
done so for many years. During the first five years of the present decennium some improvement has
been manifested, but the proportion not finally accounted for, in regard to vaccination (including cases
postponed), has, in London, in each of these years, been more than double the proportion in the rest
of England. During these years there were nearly 651,000 births in London, leaving at the end of 1905,
after subtraction of deaths, some 530,000 children under five years of age. In 1902 there was a vast
amount of vaccination of the London population, who in the presence of smallpox had resort to public
vaccinators and private practitioners for protection against that disease. Information supplied to
me by the Clerks of 21 Unions showed that the numbers of primary vaccinations at all ages was in that
year over 60 per cent. more than the number in 1900, and thus probably some deduction has to be
made from figures based upon the proportions of births unaccounted for in respect of vaccination, or
in which vaccination was postponed, but these figures afford reason for thinking that in 1905 there were
over 100,000 unvaccinated children under five years of age in London. The existence of so large
a proportion of unvaccinated children in London is necessarily always a standing danger, although
considerable intervals of time may elapse without actual injury resulting
Measles.
The deaths from measles in the Administrative County of London during 1907 (52 weeks
numbered 1,801, as compared with 1,909 in 1906
The death-rates from this disease per 1,000 persons living in 1907 and preceding periods have
been as follows:—

Measles.

Period.Death-rate per 1,000 persons living.Period.Death-rate per 1,000 persons living.
1841-500.6219020.511
1851-600.5319030.44l
1861-700.5819040.491
1871-800.5119050.371
1881-900.6419060.411
1891-19000.58119070.381
19010.431

1 See footnote (l), page 8.