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Changes in the social pattern of tuberculosis and in the type of disease in the individual
patient have been observed in recent years. There has been a marked change in the
place which tuberculosis occupies as a contributor to mortality in the population.
Fifty years ago, tuberculosis accounted for 12 per cent. of all deaths in London,
thirty years ago it provided 8 per cent. of the mortality, ten years ago 5 per cent. and
in 1955 2 per cent. Nevertheless the deaths from tuberculosis in Londoners in 1955
were twice as many as road accident fatalities. When we come a little closer and examine
the contribution which this disease has made to the deaths in different age groups we
observe marked variation at different times of life. During the past five years tuberculosis
has been responsible for 1 per cent. of all deaths in children under the age of 5 years,
for 4 per cent. of deaths in schoolchildren, for 10 per cent. of the deaths among those
aged 15–14 years and for 4 per cent. of persons from 45-65 years old. It is clear therefore
that in the most productive and reproductive years of life, tuberculosis still takes serious
toll.
In 1955 there were 517 deaths in the County attributed to pulmonary tuberculosis
and 392 of these occurred in men. Eighty-seven per cent. of these male deaths were
in the age group 45 years and older. A marked predominance of male deaths among
the older consumptives has been a feature of London tuberculosis mortality for many
years.
TUBERCULOSIS
MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY 1934-1955
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