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The long term trend in London for both sexes combined can be seen from Table 4
(page 232). The increase there shown is due partly to the increasing age of the population
and partly to improved diagnosis, but some part is doubtless attributable to increased
incidence.
The big differences in death-rates between the sexes at ages 45-64 and at 65 years
and over should be viewed in the light of the contribution cancer makes to total
mortality at these ages. The total death-rate at ages 45-64 is for males, 14.7, and for
females 7.2, and the contribution of cancer to these rates is 30 per cent. for males and
40 per cent. for females : at age 65 and over the corresponding contributions are, for
males 18 per cent. and for females 15 per cent. (the total death-rates in this age group
are, males 85.3 and females 57.9).
Cerebral
haemorrhage,
etc.
The death-rate from vascular lesions of the central nervous system in 1956 was
1.27 per 1,000, slightly higher than the figure of 1.25 in 1955. It would appear that the
rate, which had steadily increased from 1.01 in 1948 to 1.27 in 1952, has stabilised at
around the latter figure.
Bronchitis and
pneumonia
The death-rate for the bronchitis and pneumonia group was 1.63 m 1956 compared
with 1.51 in 1955.
Degenerative
diseases
If deaths from heart disease, other circulatory diseases, cerebral vascular lesions,
nephritis and bronchitis are combined as indicative of mortality from degenerative
diseases, the total mortality rate in recent years, is as follows :
Mortality (per 1,000) from cardiovascular, renal disease and bronchitis
194 6.11
1947 6.27
1948 5.47
1949 6.11
1950 5.99
1951 6.82
1952 6.64
1953 6.21
1954 5.75
1955 6.19
1956 6.37
Degenerative diseases continue to be responsible for over half the total death-rate.
Digestive
diseases
Mortality from digestive diseases (other than cancer) in 1956 was 0.43 per 1,000,
the same as in 1955. Within this group the death-rate from ulcer of the stomach or
duodenum remained at 0.16 per 1,000 as in 1954 and 1955.
Diabetes
Diabetes mortality at 0.07 also remained at the same level as in 1955.
At ages under 55, where treatment of diabetes is more effective, the number of
deaths in 1956 was 26 which compares as follows with figures for previous years :
1938 83
1946 41
1947 19
1948 27
1949 26
1950 39
1951 34
1952 34
1953 20
1954 22
1955 21
1956 26
Violence
At all age levels mortality from this cause in females is twice that in males.
As the sixth most numerous cause of death, violence, under the sub-headings of
suicide, road accidents and other forms, is shown chronologically in Table 4 (page 232).
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