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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5
Report of the County"Medical Officer—General.
Marriages
of minors.
The accompanying diagram (A) shows the marriage-rate in each year since 1850, in relation to
the mean marriage-rate of the period 1851-1912.
It will be seen that both in London and in England and Wales the proportion of male and female minors in every 100 marriages has been diminishing for a number of years, but there is some indication of a pause in the decline:—
| Period. | Marriages of minors per cent, of total marriages. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London. | England and Wales. | |||
| Males. | Females. | Males. | Females. | |
| 1851-1860 | 2.8 | 11.9 | 5.7 | 18.0 |
| 1861-1870 | 3.6 | 14.6 | 6.8 | 20.4 |
| 1871-1880 | 4.7 | 16.9 | 8.0 | 22.0 |
| 1881-1890 | 5.5 | 18.9 | 6.8 | 20.8 |
| 1891-1900 | 4.7 | 16.5 | 5.4 | 17.5 |
| 1901 | 4.4 | 15.0 | 5.0 | 16.0 |
| 1902 | 4.0 | 14.0 | 4.7 | 15.4 |
| 1903 | 3.8 | 13.7 | 4.6 | 15.2 |
| 1904 | 3.7 | 13.9 | 4.6 | 15.3 |
| 1905 | 3.6 | 13.0 | 4.4 | 14.7 |
| 1906 | 3.5 | 12.9 | 4.3 | 14.6 |
| 1907 | 3.2 | 11.8 | 4.1 | 14.2 |
| 1908 | 2.9 | 11.3 | 4.0 | 14.0 |
| 1909 | 3.1 | 11.1 | 4.0 | 13.7 |
| 1910 | 2.9 | 10.8 | 3.8 | 13.3 |
| 1911 | 3.1 | 10.9 | 3.9 | 13.3 |
Births.
The number of births in the Administrative County of London in 1912 (52 weeks)
was 110,353, giving a birth-rate of 24.5 per 1,000 persons living per annum. The male births numbered
56,509 and the female 53,844, there being, therefore, 1,049 males born per 1,000 females. The steady
decline in the London birth-rate noted in previous reports has continued, and the birth-rate for 1912
is the lowest recorded rate in London since the institution of civil registration.
The corresponding figures for England and Wales, which show a similar decline to that noted in London, are as follows:—
| Period. | Birth-rate por 1,000 persons living. (a) | Period. | Birth-rate per 1,000 persons living. (a) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851-1860 | 34.1 | 1904 | 28.0 |
| 1861-1870 | 35.2 | 1905 | 27.3 |
| 1871-1880 | 35.4 | 1906 | 27.2 |
| 1881-1890 | 32.4 | 1907 | 26.5 |
| 1891-1900 | 29.9 | 1908 | 26.7 |
| 1901-1910 | 27.2 | 1909 | 25.8 |
| 1910 | 25.1 | ||
| 1901 | 28.5 | 1911 | 24.4 |
| 1902 | 28.5 | 1912 | 23.8 |
| 1903 | 28.5 |
Birth-rates —
London.
The Birth-rate in successive periods has been as follows:—
| Period. | Birth-rate per 1,000 persons living. | Period. | Birth-rate per 1,000 persons living. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851-1860 | 33.6 | 1904 | 28.5a |
| 1861-1870 | 35.4 | 1905 | 27.9a |
| 1871-1880 | 35.4 | 1906 | 27.6a |
| 1881-1890 | 33.2 | 1907 | 26.9a |
| 1891-1900 | 30.2a | 1908 | 26.7a |
| 1901-1910 | 27.5a | 1909 | 25.8a |
| 1910 | 25.5a | ||
| 1901 | 28.9a | 1911 | 24.8a |
| 1902 | 28.7a | 1912 | 24.5a |
| 1903 | 28.8a |
Birth-rates—
England and
Wales.
(a) See footnote (6), page 4.