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 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Table VI—
| Week ended Saturday | All deaths | Cardiovascular | Cancer of the lung | Bronchitis | Other respiratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31st Dec. 1955 | 908 | 400 | 31 | 81 | 103 |
| 7th Jan. 1956* | 1,154 | 474 | 58 | 155 | 140 |
| 14th Jan. 1956 | 1,164 | 472 | 43 | 182 | 126 |
| 21st Jan. 1956 | 1,047 | 468 | 47 | 132 | 96 |
| 28th Jan. 1956 | 1,025 | 417 | 35 | 132 | 94 |
| 4th Feb. 1956 | 1,043 | 475 | 36 | 107 | 104 |
| 11th Feb. 1956 | 1,082 | 496 | 34 | 136 | 109 |
| 18th Feb. 1956 | 1,212 | 537 | 28 | 144 | 134 |
| 25th Feb. 1956 | 1,261 | 570 | 46 | 160 | 141 |
*Smog week.
Over the period of the smog, and the two weeks immediately following, the biggest
proportionate rise was in bronchitis whereas in the cold weather of February it was
in cardio-vascular diseases: but it must also be mentioned that in the week in which
the smog occurred there was a rise of 89 in the number of 'mentions' of respiratory
conditions (not being the underlying cause of death) on death certificates.
Although the inadequacy of such morbidity data as is available has been mentioned
earlier brief comments on the three sources are made hereafter: in essence all that is
demonstrated is that when mortality rises it is accompanied by morbidity which is
not of itself a very startling conclusion.
Morbidity
in periods
of fog
(a) National Insurance First Applications for Sickness Benefit at Offices in London A.C.
These applications relate only to a section of the population—the employed and
relatively healthy section of the community. They do not of course indicate how many
previous applicants would have 'signed off' had it not been for a smog. Weekly
figures over the four periods of smog are shown in Table VII. Weeks in which a fog
occurred have been underlined and the bracketed figures relate to Christmas periods in
which, presumably, there is some delay in either the reporting of sickness or the claiming
of benefit.
Table VII—
| Nov. 2, 1954 | 9,272 | Dec. 6, 1955 ...... | 11,324 |
| „ 9, „ | 9,259 | „ 13 „ | 10,829 |
| „ 16, „ | 9,622 | „ 20, „ | 9,048 |
| „ 23, „ | 10,819 | „ 27, „ | 5,045 |
| „ 30, „ | 11,680 | Jan. 3, 1956 | 15,609 |
| Dec. 7, „ | 11,346 | „ 10„ | 18,561 |
| „ 14, „ | 10,099 | „ 17, „ | 17,426 |
| " 21, „ | 8,916 | „ 24, „ | 15,377 |
| „ 28, „ | 5,259 | „ 31, „ | 14,864 |
| Jan. 4, 1955 | 16,888 | Feb. 7, „ | 15,765 |
| „ 11, „ | 19,929 | „ 14, „ | 17,027 |
| „ 18, „ | 19,085 | „ 21, „ | 17,215 |
| „25, „ | 19,884 | „ 28, „ | 18,220 |
| Feb. 1, „ | 18,905 | ||
| „ 8, „ | 16,981 | Dec. 4, 1956 | 11,796 |
| „ 15, „ | 14,665 | „ 11, „ | 10,936 |
| „ 22, „ | 14,356 | „ 18, „ | 9,140 |
| „25, „ | 3,204 | ||
| Jan. 1,1957 | 12,816 | ||
| „ 8, „ | 15,238 | ||
| „ 15, „ | 12,217 |
In the fog of November, 1954, there was a slight rise in the number of applications
in the week of the fog and the two succeeding weeks; in January, 1955, applications
207