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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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London County Council
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
COUNTY MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE YEAR 1938
By Sir Frederick Menzies, K.B.E., M.D., LL.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.S.E., K.H.P.,
County Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer.
Lateness of publication
This report was almost ready for publication at the outbreak of war. For
some considerable time afterwards, no staff was available except for the most pressing
duties. The report is much smaller than in recent years and much sub-editing
has been necessary. Apart from the annual report of the school medical officer,
which was published on 3rd November, 1939, this is the only volume which will
be issued dealing with the activities of the public health department during 1938.
Organisation of the department
There was no change in the organisation of the department as outlined in the
report for 1937.
VITAL STATISTICS
The Registrar-General estimates the resident population of the county in the Population
middle of 1938 to have been 4,062,800, compared with 4,094,500 a year earlier. The
corresponding estimates for metropolitan boroughs are shown in table 27, and the
rates given in this annual report are calculated upon these figures.
The age and sex-distribution of this estimated population is as follows :—
Table 1
| Age group | Males | Females | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0- 5 years | 126,600 | 122,700 | 249,300 | 7879 |
| 5-15 „ | 271,000 | 267,600 | 538,600 | |
| 15-25 „ | 341,700 | 368,000 | 709,700 | 19609 |
| 25-35 „ | 331,600 | 368,600 | 700,200 | |
| 35-45 „ | 268,200 | 322,800 | 591,000 | |
| 45-55 „ | 227,400 | 282,700 | 510,100 | 9273 |
| 55-65 „ | 187,200 | 230,000 | 417,200 | |
| 65-75 „ | 106,200 | 141,500 | 247,700 | 1467 |
| 75 years and over | 35,000 | 64,000 | 99,000 | |
| Total | 1,894,900 | 2,167,900 | 4,062,800 | |
The marriages registered in London during 1938 numbered approximately Marriages
44,565 or 21.9 per thousand of the population, the corrected rate for the preceding
year being also 21.9.
The live births allocated to London during 1938 numbered 54,495, compared Births
with 55,011 in the preceding year. The live-birth rate was 13.4 per thousand, the
same rate as in 1937.
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