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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 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
- Published
- 1955
- Pages
- 245
- Tables
- 92
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Page 9
The leading causes of death in London in 1954 were as follows :
Deaths Rate per 1,000 population -
Page 11
London A.C. : Cancer Mortality Rates per 1,000 living (total population)
Age and Sex 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 14
The distribution of causes of death in the first four weeks of life in descending order of magnitude in 1953 and 1954 was as follows :
Cause No. of deaths Per cent. of total 1953 1954 1953 1954 -
Page 15
A summary of maternal mortality statistics is given below. Comparative figures for England and Wales in recent years are shown in Table 8 (page 223).
Year Live births and stillbirths Deaths in pregnancy or child-birth excluding abortion Post-abortion deaths No. Rate No. Rate -
Page 17
A detailed analysis of the causes of death from violence (other than road accidents) for the last two years in order of magnitude is set out below: it will be seen that the allocation as between the causes is virtually unchanged.
Cause of death 1954 1953 M. F. Total M. F. Total -
Page 30
Table T1— Tuberculosis—Statutory notifications and deaths—Administrative County of London, 1921-54 (a)
Year(s) Pulmonary tuberculosis Non-pulmonary tuberculosis Statutory notifications Deaths Statutory notifications Deaths No. Annual rate per 1,000living No. Annual rate per 1,000living No. Annual rate per 1,000living No. Annual rate per 1,000living -
Page 31
Table T .2 — Tuberculosis deaths—by age and sex Rates per 1,000 living (i) Pulmonary
Sex Age 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rale -
Page 32
T able T .3 — Statutory notifications of tuberculosis by age and sex—Administrative County of London, 1947-54 Rates per 1,000 living (i) P ulmonary
Sex Age 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate -
Page 33
T able T.4 — Tuberculosis—Statutory notifications by age groups—Administrative County of London, 1954
Form of tuberculosis notified Sex Number of notifications of new cases of tuberculosis Total all ages 0- 1- 5- 10- 15- 20- 25- 35- 45- 55- 65+ -
Page 33
T able T.5— Statutory notification of non-pulmonary tuberculosis—distribution according to site— 1946-54 Rates per 1,000 living are shown in parentheses against the number of cases
Age group Year Site of tuberculosis lesion Bones and joints Abdomen Peripheral glands Meninges Other sites (a) Total -
Page 34
T able T.6— Occupations of persons notified 1951-1954
Riegistrar-General's Short Classifications Employment Population mid 1951 Tuberculosis Notifications—1951 Tuberculosis Notifications—1953 Tuberculosis Notifications—1954 Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Number Rate* per 1,000 Number Rate* per 1,000 Number Rate* per 1,000 Number Rate* per 1,000 Number Rate* per 1,000 Number Rate* per 1,000 -
Page 35
Table T .7 — Numbers on the registers, 1944-54
1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 35
Table T.8 — Condition of new cases and their contacts
Men Women Children Total -
Page 36
Table T. 9 — Summary of investigations made into notified tuberculosis ' incidents ' at Council establishments in 1954
Establishment Notified case Children Adults Tuberculin tested +ve reaction X-rayed Abnormal X-rayed Abnormal -
Page 37
Table T.10— Mass X-ray units—Activities reported in London A.C. —1954.
Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board Unit London areas included in ambit of unit Numbers X-rayed during year (a) Cases of active tuberculosis diagnosed Male Female Total Male Female Total Rate per 1,000 -
Page 38
Table T.11— Summary of services provided for the tuberculosis patient, 1952-54
1952 1953 1954 -
Page 40
Milk sampling The following are details of the sampling for biological examination of milk coming into London :
Source of sample Designation Samples Percentage positive of completed samples Total Positive Incomplete Negative 1954 1953 -
Page 41
TABLE (i) Number of new registrations during the year with percentage recommended to obtain treatment
Principal cause of defective vision Total Cataract Claucoma Retrolental fibroplasia Other conditions -
Page 42
TABLE (ii) Re-examination of persons recommended to obtain treatment
Principal cause of defective vision Total Cataract Glaucoma Retrolental fibroplasia Other conditions -
Page 42
Registration of nursing homes At the end of the year there were 42 nursing homes on the register, six fewer than in 1953. In the 42 homes there were 836 beds distributed as follows :
Number of beds in home Number of homes Patients accomodated Maternity† Others* Total -
Page 58
The following tables give comparative statistics:
Year Ante.natal Clinics at end of year (including combined ante.natal and post.natal) Sessions per month Attendances Percentage of pregnant women making at least one attendance at ante.natal clinic First Total -
Page 59
Continued from previous page...
Year Post.natal Clinics at end of year Sessions per month Attendances First Total At post.natal clinics At combined ante. and post.natal clinics At post.natal clinics At combined ante. and post.natal clinics -
Page 63
At 31st December, 1954, there were 100 maintained and 5 grant.aided day nurseries providing 5,850 places. Comparison with the previous year is shown in the following table:—
Age Group Maintained Grant.Aided Total 31.12.53 31.12.54 31.12.53 31.12.54 31.12.53 31.12.54 -
Page 68
Total number of domiciliary confinements attended by London County Council, Hospital and Nursing Association midwives —1950.1954
Year Maternity Nursing Cases Midwifery Cases Grand Total L.C.C. Hospital District Nursing Association Total L.C.C. Hospital District Nursing Association Total -
Page 69
Notifications of intention to practise were received as follows :
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 69
The following is an analysis of the notifications for 1954 :
Midwives Maternity nurses -
Page 71
The completed treatments related to the following conditions :
Number 1953 Percentage of total Number 1954 Percentage of total -
Page 72
Continued from previous page...
1953 1954 Number Percentage of total Number Percentage of total -
Page 74
The following figures illustrate the extent of the increase over the last three years:
1952 1953 1954 -
Page 75
This was a most encouraging increase on the figures of the last three years as is shown in the table below, and the number of reinforcing doses given increased at a similar rate. Of the 47,621, however, only 33,671 were immunised before they were two years old.
(All ages) 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 82
Work performed by the directly provided service
Year Accident Section General Section Total Patients Non-patient carrying journeys Total journeys (calls) Mileage Patients Journeys Mileage Patients Journeys Mileage -
Page 82
Work performed by the agency and supplementary services
Year Home Ambulance Service Hospital Car Service West Ham C.B.C. Total Patients Mileage Patients Mileage Patients Mileage Patients Mileage -
Page 82
Work performed by both sections of the directly provided service and by the agency and supplementary services
Year Total Emergency Work Total General Section Work Grand Total Patients Mileage Patients Mileage Patients Mileage -
Page 83
The following are particulars of new cases and attendances :
Year New cases Attendances Staff at the end of the year (in terms of whole units) -
Page 83
number of patients completing treatment and of defaulters as shown by analysis of the returns from the clinics for 1954.
Syphilis Gonorrhoea Male Female Male Female -
Page 84
Admissions to recuperative holiday homes
Year Unaccompanied children Accompanied children Expectant and nursing mothers Other adults Total Under 5 years School children -
Page 86
The following table shows how they were dealt with :
1954 1953 Male Female Total -
Page 87
During the year 330 new cases of persons suffering from psychiatric illness were referred for help in domestic, social and unemployment problems from the following sources:
-
Page 88
Mental Deficiency Acts The following table shows the sources from which cases were brought to notice under the Mental Deficiency Acts and the action taken thereon:
Sources of information 1951 1952 1953 1954 Totalsfrom 1.4.14 to 31.12.54 -
Page 88
The position at 31st December, 1954, with regard to the cases referred to in the last column of the preceding table is shown below, together with the position on the same date in the three preceding years:
1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 88
The following is a summary of the cases dealt with and comparable figures for the three preceding years :
1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 91
Particulars of the accommodation available at 31st December, 1954, were as follows:—
Centres Accommodation Centres Accommodation Centres for children Centres for elder girls -
Page 95
Details of the medical inspections carried out in 1954, with comparable figures for the two previous years, are as follows :
1952 1953 1954 -
Page 96
Continued from previous page...
1952 1953 1954 -
Page 96
Pupils referred for treatment
Age group and sex 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 96
The following table shows the percentages of defects (other than infestation, teeth or errors of refraction) found in pupils at general medical inspections, and for which the children were referred for treatment or observation, with comparable figures for previous years:
1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 98
The County averages were as follows:—
Age Years Average height at stated age Average weight at stated age cm. in. kg. lb. -
Page 99
The findings are summarised in the following table :—
Age Years ' Mature ' Mean height c.m. ' Immature ' Mean height c.m. ' Mature ' Mean weight h- ' Immature ' Mean weight kg- -
Page 99
The following table gives the results of such vision tests carried out during 1954 :—
Visual acuity (with glasses, if worn) Percentage referred for treatment 6/6 6/9 6/12 or worse % wearing glasses Total Already wearing glasses Not wearing glasses -
Page 100
The following table gives the results of the personal hygiene inspections carried out during 1954 :—
Total Number of Inspections Pupils found to be verminous* Number Percentage -
Page 100
The following table shows the results of the operation of this ' cleansing scheme' during 1954 :—
-
Page 100
Year No. of pupils on school rolls No. of nurses' hygiene inspections No. oj occasions on which pupils were found to be ' verminous ' Column (4) as a percentage of column (3) No. of individual children comprising column (4) Percentage of the school population of the individual children in col. (6) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) -
Page 101
The following table gives the main contra-indications disclosed at the medical inspections of the 27,892 school leavers during 1954 :—
Contra-indications Boys Girls -
Page 105
The report of the children's care organisers working in the out-patient department of Guy's Hospital, illustrates the wide scope of this liaison between the school health service and the hospitals. The following is a short statistical summary of the report :—
Hospital department New Cases Total attendances Discharged— treatment complete -
Page 107
The number ot examinations in each category was as follows:—
Category Pupils not in special school Pupils already in special school -
Page 108
The recommendations in respect of the 4,931 children not already in special schools were as follows:—
Special School for the:— Vision Hearing E.S.N. Maladjustment Epilepsy Physically handicapped Delicate -
Page 116
The following table gives details of the work carried out during the year at the four units:
Brixton Battersea Earls Court Woodberry Down Total -
Page 118
Table I
Total Establishment Staff Equivalent in Full-time Staff Sessions Total Sessions Total Number employed Fulltime Part-time School Service MCW Service School Service MCW Service School Service MCW Service Fulltime Part-time Fulltime Part-time -
Page 119
Table II gives figures for the year under review and comparison with the three preceding years. Table II
Attendances and treatments 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 119
Table III
-
Page 121
Table IV gives figures for comparison with the preceding years. Table IV
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 121
Comparative figures in Table V show increases under most headings and are indicative of a healthy, if slow, growth. Table V
1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 122
T able VI
1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 123
FINANCE the total capital expenditure on the health services of the Council in the year ended Capital 31st March, 1954, was £98,236, details of which are as follows:
£ -
Page 124
The gross cost of the various services in 1953-54—including central administrative charges but excluding debt charges—and the contributions recovered from recipients of the services were :
Service Cost £ Amount recovered in charges £ -
Page 124
The net cost of the services after allowing for Government grant, expressed in terms of rate in the / was 10-17d., divided as follows :
d. -
Page 144
Cancer death rates in England and Wales and London A.C. 1931 and 1954 ( adjusted to 1931 populations)
Lung cancer Other cancer All cancers -
Page 145
Death rates per 1,000 living from lung cancer—England and Wales, 1953
Areas Males Females Percentage of Popn. 65 and over in Popn. 25 and over 25- 45- 65- 75 and over Total 25 and over 25- 45— 65- 75 and over Total 25 and over M. F. -
Page 146
Lung cancer death-rate—Overcrowding, social class, open space and atmospheric pollution
Lung cancer D.R. per 1,000 aged 75+ 1950-4 (Average) Percentage of persons living at a density of more than 2 per room 1951 Percentage of social classes IV & V 1951 Existing open space per 1,000 persons (Acres) 1951 Atmospheric pollution Solid deposit to 1954 Sulphur dioxide concentration (b) 1954 -
Page 150
Crude survival rates ( per cent.)
1945 Early primary Late primary All primary -
Page 153
Table A — Lung cancer deaths in London A.C. 1931-54 by age and sex
Age Sex 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 154
Tableb— Lung cancer death . rates in London A.C. 1931 - 54 by age and sex (per 1000 living in the age/sex group)
Age Sex 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 155
Table C— Deaths in London A.C. —1931-54 Population aged 55 and over.—Numbers, rates and sex ratio for certain causes
Cause(s) Sex No., rate, etc. 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 155
Table D Mass Radiography Intrathoracic malignant diseases found by the four Metropolitan R.H.Bs. and Ministry's Unit Aggregated figures of rates per 100,000 examined
Period Total number of persons examined Males Females 45— 60 and over All ages 45— 60 and over All ages -
Page 217
APPENDIX D STATISTICS (a) Table 1— Population (b)—Administrative County of London, 1921-54
Year Mid-year estimate of population by the Registrar-General Average age Total 0-4 5-14 15-24 25-44 45-64 65+ -
Page 218
Table 2— Live births and still.births—Administrative County of London, 1931.54
Year(s) Live births Still.births No. Rate per 1,000 population* No. Rate per 1,000 total births (live and still) -
Page 219
Table 3— Vital statistics—Metropolitan Boroughs and the Administrative County of London, 1954 (a)
Metropolitan Boroughs Estimated home population mid 1954 Live birth rate Death.rates Notifications of infectious disease Deaths Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births) Heart disease Other circus latory Cerebral vascular lesions Peptic ulcer Pulmonary tuberculosis Pruumonia Other respira tory diseases (inc. Bronchitis) Cancer Violence Scarlet fever Diphtheria Poliomyelitis Meningococcal infection Acute pneumonia Measles Whoop ing cough Tuberculosis Paralytic Nm Paralytic Pulmonary Non. pulmonary -
Page 220
T able 4 — Principal vital statistics—Administrative County of London, 1901.1954
Year(s) Annual rate per 1,000 living Annual mortality per 1,000 living (a) Annual mortality Infant (per 1,000 live births) Maternal (per 1,000 total births (b) Live births Marriages Deaths (all causes) Meningococcal infection Diphtheria Enteric fever Scarlet fever Smallpox Whooping cough Measles Influenza Tuberculosis Pneumonia (all forms) Bronchitis Other resp. diseases Heart disease Cancer Diabetes Infants 0—1 Diarrhoea and enteritis 0-2 Puerperal sepsis Other child.birth Pulmonary Non.pulmonary -
Page 221
Table 5— Civilian deaths by cause—Administrative County of London, 1954
Cause Sex 0- 1- 5— 15— 25— 45— 65— 75+ Total 1954 1953 -
Page 222
Table 5(contd.)—Civilian deaths by cause—Administrative County of London, 1954
Cause Sex 0— 1 — 5— 15— 25— 45— 65. 75+ Total 1954 1953 -
Page 222
Table 6— Infant mortality—Administrative County of London, 1954
Cause of death Age at death Total Rates per 1,000 live births Under 1 day 1 to 7 days 1 to 4 wks. 4 wks. to 1 yr. No. Male Female Total Male Female -
Page 223
Table 7— Infant mortality by cause—Administrative County of London, 1931.1954 (Rates per 1,000 live births)
Cause of death 1931 to 1935 1936 to 1940 1941 to 1945 1946 to 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 223
T able 8— Maternal mortality (excluding abortion)—Administrative County of London and England and Wales, 1944.54 (Rates per 1,000 total births)
1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 -
Page 223
Table 9— Cases of infectious illness reported from schools in 1954 and preceding years— Administrative County of London
Year Chicken.pox Diphtheria Rubella Impetigo Measles Mumps Ophthalmia and conjunctivitis Poliomyelitis Ringworm Scabies Scarlet fever Whooping cough -
Page 224
Table 10— Notifiable infectious diseast —Annual number of notifications and numbers per 1,000 of population—Administrative County of London, 1934.1954
Year Anthrax Continued fever Diphtheria Dysentery Acute Encephalitis Enteric fever Erysipelas Malaria Measles Meningococcal infection Ophthalmia neonatorum Pneumonia Poliomyelitis Puerperal pyrexia Scabies Scarlet fever Smallpox Typhus Whooping Cough Food poisoning Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate -
Page 225
Table 11— Notification of certain infectious diseases—distribution by age and date of notification—Administrative County of London, 52 weeks commencing week ended 9th January, 1954
Four. weekly periods 1954 Meningococcal infection Dysentery Measles Pneumonia Poliomyelitis Scarlet fever Whooping cough Paralytic Non.paralytic or not stated Ages Ages Ages Ages Ages Ages Ages Ages 0—4 5—14 15+ Total 0—4 5—14 15+ Total 0—4 5—14 15+ Total 0—4 5—14 15+ Total 0—4 5—14 15+ Total 0—4 5—14 15+ Total 0—4 5—14 15+ Total 0—4 5—14 15+ Total -
Page 226
Table 12- Statistics of the administrative work carried out by the Metropolitan Borough Councils in 1954.
Borough Dwellings CLEARANCE AREAS DWELLING HOUSES SMOKE NUISANCES CLEANSING AND DISINFECTION LICENSED OR REGISTERED PREMISES Restaurants, eating houses and canteens SANITARY OFFICERS Erected by the Borough Council | Erected by other persons Total number in the Borough Inspections Repaired as a result of informal action Defects remedied after service of formal notice Housing Act 1936 Local Govt. Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1953 Sec. 10 (I) Water supply provided to tenement houses Complaints Observations Intimation notices served Nuisance notices served Adults cleansed Children cleansed Premises disinfected Premises disinfested Licensed slaughter houses< Other offensive trades Dairies and milk shops Ice cream premises Common Lodging Houses Establishment Employed at end of year Assistants employed at end of year Unfit Houses Other Houses On complaint On notification of illness House.to.house Other reasons Section II Section 12 At home At a cleansing station Demolished Persons displaced Demolished Persons displaced Public Health (London) Act Housing Act Demolished Closed by undertaking Rooms closed Undertakings accepted By owners By local authority By owners By local authority Number Persons displaced Number Persons displaced Under ground rooms other rooms Under ground rooms other rooms Closing Orders made Number Persons displaced Number Persons displaced Number Persons displaced Number Persons displaced Number Persons displaced Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total -
Page 227
Table 13— Treatment of venereal disease at London clinics
Year New cases Total venereal cases Total non.venereal cases Total attendances Syphilis S. Chancre Gonorrhoea M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. -
Page 227
T able 14 Weather during 1954 (as recorded at Kew Observatory)
Month Temperature Rainfall Sunshine Mean (a) °F Difference from Average (b) °F Total ins. Difference from Average (c) ins. Total hrs. Difference from Average (d) hrs. -
Page 228
Senior Officers of the Divisions
Division Divisional Medical Officer Divisional Administrative Officer Divisional Nursing Officer -
Page 229
Senior Officers of the Divisions—continued
Division Divisional Medical Officer Divisional Administrative Officer Divisional Nursing Officer -
Page 229
The following statement shows the number of staff employed in the Public Health Department in December, 1954 (part.time staff being expressed as whole.time equivalents).
Type of staff Location Staff employed at other establishments (a) Total Head office staff Divisional staff