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

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London County Council 1913

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

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Report of the County Medical Officer—General.
49
that the want of resisting power at this age is the result of changes at puberty; it is worthy of note,
however, that this factor does not appear to operate in the case of forms of tuberculosis other than
pulmonary, for the figures at this age-period show actually a smaller incidence and fatality of other tuberculosis
among females than among males. It is possible that changes in respiratory movement which
affect males and females in differing degrees at this period of life may have some influence. It has been
observed that at this age the base of the lung is relatively more frequently attacked among females,
and it has been suggested that the unnatural constriction which results from the wearing of stays may
account for this fact. The restriction in the amount of active outdoor life among girls of this age, due
to domestic work, cannot, moreover, be entirely left out of account.
Cancer.
The deaths from cancer (a), in the Administrative County of London during 1913 (53 weeks),
numbered 5,206, as compared with 5,007 for the 52 weeks of 1912.

The death-rates from this disease in successive periods have been as follows:—

Period.Death-rate per 1,000 persons living.Period.Death-rate per 1,000 per sons living.
1851-18600.4219040.94a
1861-18700.4819050.96a
1871-18800.551906l.01a
1881-18900.6819070.99a
1891-19000.85a1908l.02a
1901-19100.98a19091.04a
1910l.03a
19010.88a1911l.05a
19020.93a19121.11a
19030.98a19131.13a

Cancer
death-rates,
London,
1851-1913.
For the purpose of enabling the incidence of cancer on the several populations of the sanitary
districts to be more precisely stated, factors have been calculated for correcting the death-rates, as far
as possible, for differences in the age and sex constitution of the several populations concerned.

These factors are shown in the following table, together with the death-rates for each sanitary district, corrected by their application. (b)

Metropolitan borough. IFactor for correction for age and sex distribution.Crude death-rateper 1,000 persons living.Corrected death-rate per 1,000 persons living.Comparative mortality figure (London 1,000).
1908-12.1913.1908-12.1913.1908-12.1913.
• London0.96341.061.161.021.121,0001,000
Paddington0.85421.191.311.021.129981,000
Kensington v—^0.81171.181.130.960.92943821
Hammersmith0.93631.051.-220.981.149651,018
Fulham1.07230.971.131.041.211,0191,080
Chelsea0.80181.331.381.071.111,043991
Westminster, City of0.84841.261.461.071.241,0491,107
St. Marylebone0.85561.331.451.141.241,1151,107
Hamnstead0.86571.081.160.931.00920893
St. Pancras0.93621.231.391.151.301,1251,161
Islington0.91631.111.251.021.15j 9961,027
Stoke Newington0.82351.221.521.001.259861,116
Hackney0.95941.011.150.971.10947982
Holborn0.84251.181.040.990.88994786
Finsbury0.99770.941.020.941.02918911
London, City of0.78831.331.561.051.231,0271,098
Shoreditch1.13420.830.730.940.839221 741
Bethnal Green1.18660.941.031.121.221,0941,089
Stepney1.20370.820.880.991.06971946
Poplar1.07470.941.001.011.07994955
Southwark1 .03351.031.151.061.191,0451,062
Bermondsey1.07441.071.151.151.241,1331,107
Lambeth0.91931.181.291.081.191,0681,062
Battersea1.01120.991.111.001.129861,000
Wandsworth0.95520.991.060.951.01931902
Camberwell0.96881.031.101.001.07984955
Deptford0.99631.021.141.921.141,0001,018
Greenwich0.98950.921.490.911.478981,312
Lewisham0.92231.051.170.971.08945964
Woolwich1.03210.941.010.971.04955929

Cancer
death-rates
in London
boroughs.
(a) See footnote (c), page 6.
(b) The deaths upon which these rates are calculated, so far as the years 1911 to 1913 are concerned, are the
deaths in England and Wales which have been allocated by the Registrar-General to London. Prior to 1911, the
correction was limited to the Greater London area.
H