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 1912
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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112
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1912.
FEMALES.
| Age-group. | Observed rate of mortality. | Rate of mortality from life-table. | Difference per cent. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0- | 45.66 | 46.17 | + 1.12 | |
| 5— | 3.48 | 3.45 | — 0.95 | |
| 10— | 2.04 | 2.04 | — 0.05 | |
| 15— | 2.39 | 2.40 | + 0.33 | |
| 20— | 2.76 | 2.75 | — 0.25 | |
| 25— | 4.17 | 4.24 | + 1.58 | |
| 35— | 8.05 | 8.13 | + 0.96 | |
| 45— | 13.75 | 13.92 | + 1.24 | |
| 55— | 25.46 | 25.77 | + 1.24 | |
| 65— | 53.56 | 54.11 | + 1.04 | |
| 75 + | 135.28 | 139.38 | + 3.03 | |
The mx curves shown in the diagram facing this page could not conveniently be reproduced upon
a scale large enough to enable the incidence of death upon males and females to be contrasted throughout
life; the vitality-rates, or persons living per death, are therefore shown in the diagram facing page 9, and
the two diagrams in conjunction will enable ready comparison to be made between the mortality of the
two sexes. It will be noted that the female vitality-rate exceeds that of the males throughout, except from
about the 8th to the 13th year of age. The relative depression in the female vitality about this ageperiod
is found to arise from the fact that at this age, only, the deaths from phthisis among females
exceed those among males. If the deaths from all tubercular diseases are deducted, and the vitalityrates
are then compared, it is found that the female rate exceeds the male rate over the whole period of
life, and also that the considerable augmentation in the relative vitality of females observable after the
20th to about the 45th years largely disappears.
The deaths from specified causes are only available in groups of ages, and consequently no very
precise analysis of the causes leading to variations in mortality can be made, even by means of the lifetable:
small irregularities in the relative contour of the vitality-curves of the two sexes still remain
when the tubercular deaths are deducted throughout. The effect of variations in the death-rate from
phthisis among males in successive decennia upon the contour of the mortality-rate curves appears to be
well illustrated by diagram C (see p. 5).
together. From the life-table we may, however, calculate the percentage of lives entering the life-table experience who would die from certain specified causes and thus obtain rates which admit of accurate comparison :—
| Cause of death. | Deaths in the life-table population per 100 births. | |
|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | |
| Measles | 1.77 | 1.69 |
| Rheumatic fever | 0.33 | 0.38 |
| Cancer | 6.68 | 8.86 |
| Phthisis | 10.37 | 5.89 |
| Other tubercular diseases | 2.38 | 2.10 |
| Pneumonia | 9.21 | 7.78 |
| Other respiratory diseases | 11.28 | 13.32 |
| All other causes | 57.98 | 59.98 |
of possible future lifetime than deaths in later life. The expectation of life, or mean future life-time at certain periods of age is given in the life-table, however, and this affords us a measure by which to ascertain approximately the
| Cause of death. | Approximate comparative loss in years of life by deaths. | |
|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | |
| Years. | Years. | |
| Measles | 483,277 | 475,647 |
| Rheumatic fever | 52,250 | 60,769 |
| Cancer | 433,075 | 633,23 |
| Phthisis | 1,253,348 | 830,130 |
| Other tubercular disease | 549,927 | 513,333 |
| Pneumonia | 1,326,473 | 1,148,120 |
| Other respiratory disease | 953,559 | 989,495 |