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 1923
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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influence on the London death.rates was commented upon. An influx of perhaps
greater extent from abroad into this country obtains in the case of males at these
higher ages. Civil servants, soldiers, engineers, etc., come home from India, the
Colonies, and other parts of the world. The attraction of the hospitals, etc., for
those who are the subjects of chronic illness throws a burden more especially
unon the large towns and particularly upon London.
The expectation of life characterising each of the nine periods for which life. tables were constructed is shown in the following table :—
| Perioi. | Expectation of life (years). | |
|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | |
| 1841.50 | 34.6 | 38.3 |
| 1851.60 | 36.4 | 40.4 |
| 1861.70 | 35.7 | 39.9 |
| 1871.80 | 380 | 42.4 |
| 1881.90 | 40.1 | 44 v |
| 1891.00 | 41.2 | 45.4 |
| 1901.10 | 47.2 | 51.9 |
| 1911.12 | 49.5 | 54.5 |
| 1920.22 | 53.8 | 59'1 |
In the course of 80 years, therefore, the Londoners lifetime has been extended
by more than 20 years, males by 19.2 years and femels by 20.8.
The death.rate (and birth.rate) in the life.tabie population of London for the various periods is shown in the following table :—
| Period. | Death.rate (and birth.rate) in Life table population. | |
|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | |
| 1841.50 | 28.9 | 26.1 |
| 1851.60 | 27.5 | 24.8 |
| 1861.70 | 280 | 250 |
| 1871.80 | 26.3 | 23.6 |
| 1881.90 | 24.9 | 22.5 |
| 1891.00 | 24.3 | 220 |
| 1901.10 | 21.2 | 19.3 |
| 1911.12 | 20.2 | 18.4 |
| 1920.22 | 18.6 | 16.9 |
It will be seen that the true death.rate of the London population has decreased
jy 10.3 per 1,000 living among males, i.e., 35"6 per cent., and among females by 9.2
or 35.2 per cent., between 1841.50 and 1920.22.
Some of the principal changes which have taken place in the conditions of life
in London as shown by the life.tables are illustrated in the diagram on page 12.
In the diagram on p. 12 the expectation of life is shown for both sexes in Section 1.
The birth.rate and death.rate of the life.table population is the same, since the
population is one which, experiencing the death.rate of a given period, is maintained
by births equal to the number of deaths. Section 2 of the diagram shows the death.
rate (and birth.rate) of the life.table population.
In Section 3 of the diagram the fertility.rate, that is, the number of legitimate
children born per 100 married women of ages 15 to 45 years, is shown. It will be
noted that the fertility decreased fairly regularly throughout, though the fall is
accentuated somewhat in the past Wenty years. In part, this decrease is accounted
for by the fact that the married women of 1841.50 were younger than those of
1920.22 ; this is not, however, the main factor in the decline, as it is found that of
the total decrease in fertility between 1841.50 and 1921, amounting to 29.7 per
cent., only about 3.2 per cent, is due to changes in the age constitution of the married
women of child.bearing age.
In Section 4 is shown the relationship between the population, which would
on the basis of the life.table be maintained by the annual births in successive decennia,
10976 b