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 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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17
Report of the Comity Medical Officer—General.
With a view to the consideration of the effect of "social condition (a)" on the rates of infantile mortality at different periods during the first year of life, the following table has been prepared, in which the rates of infant mortality obtaining for groups of districts can be compared:—
| Infant mortality to relation to "social condition"—1913. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age-period. | Group of boroughs in order of "social condition." | ||||
| I. | II. | III. | IV. | V. | |
| Under 1 week | 18.3 | 22.0 | 21.3 | 21.7 | 19.7 |
| 1-2 weeks | 5.2 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 5.0 |
| 2-3 „ | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 5.5 |
| 3-4 „ | 1.6 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.4 |
| Under 1 month | 28.7 | 34.0 | 34.5 | 34.7 | 33.6 |
| 0—3 months | 45.1 | 51.7 | 545 | 55. 1 | 56.9 |
| 3-6 „ | 13.3 | 18.2 | 20.0 | 19.3 | 27.0 |
| 6-9 „ | 7.6 | 13.6 | 14.6 | 16.0 | 22.0 |
| 9-12 „ | 9.0 | 13.2 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 19.2 |
| 0-12 months | 75.0 | 96.7 | 102.7 | 104.0 | 125.1 |
Infant
mortality
and "social
condition.
The foregoing table shews that there is a marked difference in the mortality among children
under one year of age when the extreme groups of districts are compared. This agrees with the
figures in corresponding tables published in previous annual reports. If the figures for each of the
trimesters are considered in this connection, it will be seen that the same behaviour of the mortality
is observable.
This will be better appreciated by reference to the following table, in which the mortality of the group of districts of relatively highest "social condition" is taken as 100:—
| Number of group of boroughs in order of "social condition." | Comparative mortality—Group I. taken as 100. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children aged 0-3 months. | Children aged 3-6 months. | Children aged 6-9 months. | Children aged 9-12 months. | Children under 1 year. | ||||||
| 1905-12. | 1913. | 1905-12. | 1913. | 1905-12. | 1913. | 1905-12. | 1913. | 1905-12. | 1913. | |
| I. | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| II. | 115 | 115 | 128 | 136 | 142 | 179 | 160 | 148 | 126 | 129 |
| III. | 120 | 121 | 133 | 150 | 149 | 193 | 171 | 151 | 132 | 137 |
| IV. | 125 | 122 | 144 | 144 | 165 | 211 | 185 | 152 | 140 | 139 |
| V. | 132 | 126 | 176 | 202 | 196 | 291 | 232 | 213 | 159 | 167 |
The figures for the period 1905-12 show that in each successive trimester of the first year of
life the difference in the mortality obtaining for the several groups of districts becomes generally more
pronounced. The figures for 1913 are in general agreement with those for the period 1905-12.
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, and enteric fever during
1913 (53 weeks) was 3,103, giving an annual death-rate of 0.68 per 1,000 persons living.
(a) The standard adopted throughout this report for determining the "social condition" of a borough is the
percentage of all children between the ages of 5 and 14 scheduled in the borough by the Council for education purposes
in the years 1905-7. The scheduling of children for this purpose is conducted annually by the Council, and the question
whether or not a child is to be scheduled depends upon various circumstances which, taken together, form a general
measure of "social condition."
The County has been divided into five groups of different grades of "social condition." Group I. contains
all boroughs in which less than 82 per cent. of the children aged 5—14 were scheduled ; Group II.. 82 to 87 per cent.;
Group III., 87 to 92 per cent.; Group IV.. 92 to 97 per cent. Group V; 97 per cent, and over.
23610 D