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
City of London 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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13
VACCINATION.
Of the children born in 1903, 230 had been successfully vaccinated by the
end of the year, and 33 had died before the age for vaccination. Vaccination
was postponed by medical certificate in 15 cases, 1 infant was reported to
be insusceptible to vaccination, 28 had removed into other districts, and 32
vaccinations were pending at the end of the year. There were no cases of
conscientious objection.
Vaccination Statistics in the City of London.
| Year. | Number of Births. | Successfully Vaccinated. | Insusceptible. | Had Smallpox. | Died before Vaccination. | Vaccination Postponed. | Removed or unaccounted for at the end of the year. | Conscientious Objections. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | 468 | 45.3 | Nil. | Nil. | 8.1 | 5.4 | 34.20 | 7.0 |
| 1899 | 430 | 62.8 | .46 | ,, | 9.5 | 5.3 | 19.52 | 2.3 |
| 1900 | 403 | 60.5 | .99 | ,, | 12.6 | 4.4 | 19.30 | 1.9 |
| 1901 | 381 | 67.7 | .52 | ,, | 12.8 | 4.2 | 12.00 | 2.6 |
| 1902 | 338 | 63.3 | .29 | ,, | 8.3 | 5.0 | 22.50 | 0.6 |
| Average previous 5 years | 404 | 59.9 | .45 | Nil. | 10.2 | 4.8 | 21.5 | 2.9 |
| 1903 | 339 | 67.9 | 0.29 | Nil. | 9.7 | 4.4 | 17.7 | — |
The decline in the proportion of conscientious objectors during a year
when Small-pox was epidemic, is some indication of the little faith the
average anti-vaccinationist attaches to his own teachings when face to face
with the disease.
MORTALITY.
During the year under review, 839 deaths were registered in the District,
including *631 persons dying in the City, but not belonging thereto. See
Table I. for details.
Deducting the latter we have to deal with 208 deaths, to which we must
add 91 persons who died at City Institutions in outside districts, where they
were registered. The mortality, therefore, upon which our death rate is
calculated is 299.
Death Rates, per 1,000 per Annum.
| Year. | City of London. | Great Towns of England and Wales. | Metropolis. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | 16.3 | 19.0 | 18.7 | |
| 1899 | 18.5 | 20.2 | 33 towns | 19.8 |
| 1900 | 19.4 | 19.5 | 18.8 | |
| 1901 | 16.6 | 18.6 | 17.1 | |
| 1902 | 16.4 | 17.4 76 towns | 17.7 | |
| Average previous five years | 17.4 | 18.7 | 18.4 | |
| 1903 | 12.0 | — | 15.6 | |
* These deaths occurred in St. Bartholomew's Hospital.