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8
be increased in a bouse full of children. If, however, the landlord were entitled to
make some deduction from the rates, in respect of premises, occupied by parents
with children, his attitude would no doubt be changed, and it might even result
in preference being given to such tenants.
The birth-rate for each metropolitan borough will be found in the Table on
page 28. The London birth-rate since 1840 is shown in the diagram on page 8.
Deaths.
The deaths in the civil population of London during 1926 numbered 53,476,
giving a death-rate of 11.6 as compared with 11.9 in 1925 and 12.2 in 1924. The
distribution of the deaths by ages in 1926 and preceding years is shown in the following
table:—
Year.
0-
1—
2—
5-
10—
15—
20—
25-
35-
45—
55—
65 +
All
ages.
1911-14
l1,968
3,546
2,716
1,421
846
1,088
1,299
3,525
5,292
7,142
8,328
18,221
65,392
1919-22
7,836
2,131
1,919
1,376
853
1,175
1,318
3,103
4,238
6,414
8,265
19,828
58,456
1923
5,615
1,373
1,276
860
638
1,016
1,220
2,474
3,737
5,985
8,105
19,692
51,991
1924
5,904
2,164
1,863
817
709
1,015
1,225
2,514
3,770
6,265
8,582
21,059
55,887
1925
5,599
1,427
1,371
816
647
1,091
1,235
2,531
3,618
6,034
8,500
21,722
54,591
1926
5,067
1,479
1,302
819
554
929
1,199
2,397
3,511
6,038
8,639
21,542
53,476
The year of lowest death-rate in London was 1923 when, as will be seen, the
deaths numbered 1,485 less than in 1926. The excess in 1926 is greatest at the
higher ages and is almost entirely accounted for by the increased mortality from
diseases of the heart and circulatory system and cancer. At younger ages an excess
in the mortality at ages from 1 to 5 years is due to the epidemic prevalence of measles
during the winter of 1926. Among other causes of death which have increased
since 1923 are deaths caused by vehicular traffic, which in 1926 numbered 656 (52
Weeks) as against 453; among children under 15 years of age the deaths increased
from 146 to 163.
The death-rates from all causes and from certain specified diseases for each
metropolitan borough and for London as a whole will be found in the Table on page
28. The annual death rates in London since 1840 in relation to the mean of the
rates for the last 86 years are shown in the diagram on page 8.
Infant
mortality.
The year 1926 was generally favourable to infant life, the winter being mild
and the summer temperate. Deaths under 1 year of age per thousand births were
64, this being the lowest rate recorded with the exception of that for 1923. In
the following table the deaths under 1 year of age per thousand births from the
principal causes of infant mortality are shown for 1926 and preceding years:—
Cause of Death.
1911
to
1914.
1915
to
1918.
1919
to
1922.
1923
to
1926.
1923.
1924.
1925.
1926.
Measles 3.40 3.84 1.64 2.02 0.96 3.37 0.87 2.88
Whooping-cough 3.63 4.45 2.50 2.60 2.23 2.30 4.58 1.29
Influenza 0.27 1.10 0.81 0.38 0.20 0.62 0.38 0.34
Tuberculosis 3.40 3.20 1.52 1.26 1.21 1.20 1.48 1.14
Bronchitis 6.41 6.72 4.42 2.91 2.43 3.62 3.02 2.59
Pneumonia 12.28 14.96 12.60 11.51 9.07 14.13 12.27 10.59
Diarrhoea 24.28 16.10 12.16 9.36 9.07 7.89 9.72 10.78
Premature birth 18.16 17.42 17.00 14.74 14.66 15.89 14.31 14.11
Congenital defects 14.69 14.66 11.26 8.39 8.80 7.96 8.70 8.12
All causes 108 103 79 65 61 69 68 64
Infections Diseases.
The attack-rates and death-rates of the principal infectious diseases in London
and the constituent boroughs are shown in the table on page 28.
Smallpox.
During 1926, nine cases of smallpox were notified in London, of which four
proved to be wrongly diagnosed, leaving five actual cases of which one died. In
addition, there were two cases (one fatal) in Willesden, just over the county border,