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 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The trend since 1949 is shown below : Table (xi)—Infant mortality by cause—1949-58 (Rates per 1,000 live births)
| Cause of death | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whooping cough | 0.35 | 0.39 | 0.17 | 0.08 | 0.27 | 006 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.02 | — |
| Tuberculosis | 009 | 0.17 | 0.08 | 0.04 | 0.14 | 008 | — | — | — | — |
| Measles | 0.05 | — | 0.13 | — | 0.06 | 0.02 | 0.10 | — | — | — |
| Bronchitis and pneumonia | 3.94 | 4.25 | 4.47 | 3.89 | 4.04 | 2.70 | 3.57 | 3.32 | 2.88 | 3.45 |
| Gastro-enteritis | 1.52 | 1.14 | 0.73 | 0.80 | 1.27 | 0.43 | 0.48 | 0.35 | 0.42 | 0.31 |
| Immaturity | 6.31 | 4.62 | 4.71 | 4.20 | 3.98 | 3.70 | 4.67 | 4.10 | 4.27 | 4.69 |
| Congenital malformations | 4.23 | 4.14 | 3.82 | 3.93 | 3.41 | 3.51 | 3.43 | 3.70 | 3.96 | 4.51 |
| Injury at birth | 2.48 | 2.42 | 2.98 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.34 | 2.59 | 2.64 | 2.98 | 2.27 |
| Post-natal asphyxia and atelectasis | 3.45 | 3.71 | 3.83 | 3.50 | 3.90 | 4.06 | 4.32 | 3.66 | 4.17 | 4.08 |
| Haemolytic disease | (a) | 0.95 | 0.86 | 0.72 | 0.53 | 0.55 | 0.58 | 0.61 | 0.51 | 0.44 |
| Convulsions | 002 | — | — | — | — | 002 | — | 0-02 | — | — |
| Accidental mechanical suffocation | 1.08 | 0.26 | 0.25 | 0.17 | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.06 | 0.21 | 0.23 | 0.13 |
| Other causes | 3.31 | 3.52 | 3.42 | 2.96 | 3.40 | 3.04 | 3.35 | 2.55 | 2.56 | 2.12 |
| All causes | 27 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
(a) Included in other causes.
A comparison with England and Wales for both neo-natal (deaths in the first four weeks) and infant mortality (deaths in the first year) is as follows : Rates per 1,000 live births
| Year | Neo-natal mortality | Infant mortality | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | England and Wales | London | England and Wales | |
| 1949 | 17-5 | 19-3 | 26-8 | 32-4 |
| 1950 | 16-9 | 18-5 | 25-8 | 29-6 |
| 1951 | 17-3 | 18-8 | 25-4 | 29-7 |
| 1952 | 15-8 | 18-3 | 23-1 | 27-6 |
| 1953 | 161 | 17-7 | 23-9 | 26-8 |
| 1954 | 151 | 17-7 | 20-7 | 25-4 |
| 1955 | 16-7 | 17-3 | 23-2 | 24-9 |
| 1956 | 15-9 | 16-8 | 21-2 | 23-8 |
| 1957 | 16-3 | 16-5 | 22-0 | 23-1 |
| 1958 | 16-6 | 16-2 | 22-4 | 22-5 |
Neo-natal
mortality
Comparative rates for perinatal mortality (still-births and deaths in the first week of life) per 1,000 total births are given below for London and England and Wales.
| Year | London | England and Wales | Year | London | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 34.2 | 38.0 | 1954 | 32.8 | 38.1 |
| 1950 | 33.2 | 37.4 | 1955 | 34.8 | 37.4 |
| 1951 | 34.6 | 38.2 | 1956 | 33.3 | 36.7 |
| 1952 | 32.6 | 37.5 | 1957 | 34.2 | 36.3 |
| 1953 | 34.7 | 36.9 | 1958 | 343 | 35.1 |
Perinatal
mortality
The medical conditions causing still-birth cannot be determined since certification
of the cause of still-birth is not required in this country although it is in Scotland.
Following representations made to the Ministry of Health during 1957 a special inquiry
under Ministry auspices is being made into perinatal mortality in certain areas, including
London, commencing in 1958. (The National Birthday Trust Fund also made a similar
inquiry in March, 1958 and the results are awaited with considerable interest.)
15
B