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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| Metropolitan borough. | Deaths, 1913 (53 weeks). | Death-rate per 1,000 persons living. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1908-12, | 1913. | ||
| Finsbury | 30 | 0.90 | 0.35 |
| London, City of | - | 012 | — |
| Shoreditch | 52 | 0.91 | 0.47 |
| Bethnal Green | 62 | 0.72 | 0.48 |
| Stepney | 95 | 0.76 | 0.34 |
| Poplar | 69 | 0.76 | 0.42 |
| Southwark | 105 | 0.71 | 0.55 |
| Bermondsey | 90 | 0.96 | 0.71 |
| Lambeth | 99 | 0.36 | 0.33 |
| Battersea | 93 | 0.45 | 0.55 |
| Wandsworth | 116 | 0.31 | 0.35 |
| Camberwell | 68 | 0.37 | 0.26 |
| Deptford | 50 | 0.47 | 0.45 |
| Greenwich | 40 | 0.36 | 0.41 |
| Lewisham | 25 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| Woolwich | 9 | 0.24 | 0.07 |
| London | 1,570 | 0.45 | 0.34 |
In the distribution of measles mortality throughout the year 1913, the highest death-rate
obtained in Bermondsey (0.71) and the lowest in Woolwich (0.07), exclusive of the City of London,
where no death occurred. For the period of 1908-12, Bermondsey (0.96) had the highest measles deathrate,
and the City of London and Lewisham (0.12) the lowest. The death-rates for this disease in
London in each of the four quarters of the year 1913 were as follows: first quarter, 0.75; second quarter,
0.49; third quarter, 0.11; and fourth quarter, 0.04 per 1,000 persons living.
There was no exceptional prevalence of measles during the year 1913. London sanitary authorities
continue to devote much time and attention to this disease, and it is a common practice to visit
the homes of the patients to urge the importance of medical care. Leaflets as to the care of the
patient aie issued and disinfection is carried out. 3,400 cases were admitted to the hospitals of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board under the Local Government Board Order of the 30th May, 1911. The
mortality rate among these cases was 12.6 per cent., as compared with 9.6 per cent. among 4,314 cases
received during 1912. The rate for males was 13.4 per cent. and that for females 11.8 per cent.
If the London measles death-rate be compared with that of the following large English towns, it will be seen that in the quinquennium 1908-12, the London death-rate was exceeded by the death-rates of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, West Ham, and Salford, and in the year 1913 exceeded all except Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and Salford.
| Town. | 1908-12. | 1913. | Town. | 1908-12. | 1913. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 0.45 | 0.34 | Bradford | 0.21 | 0.12 |
| Greater London | 0.38 | 0.31 | Hull | 0.37 | 0.04 |
| Liverpool | 0.63 | 0.41 | Newcastle-on-Tyne | 0.39 | 0.23 |
| Manchester | 0.55 | 0.36 | Nottingham | 0.37 | 0.07 |
| Birmingham | 0.48 | 0.45 | Stoke-on-Trent | 0.45 | 0.96 |
| Sheffield | 0.71 | 0.78 | Portsmouth | 0.27 | 0.10 |
| Leeds | 0.30 | 0.23 | Salford | 0.68 | 0.54 |
| Bristol | 0.30 | 0.13 | Leicester | 0.41 | 0.15 |
| West Ham | 0.71 | 0.22 |
Measles
death-rates
in large
English
towns.
Scarlet Fever.
The cases of scarlet fever notified in the Administrative County of London during 1913 (53 weeks)
numbered 17,552, compared with 11,312 in 1912 (52 weeks). The number of deaths registered from
this cause was 188 in the year 1913 (53 weeks), compared with 159 in 1912 (52 weeks).
(a) See footnote (c), page 6.