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 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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19
BIRTHS.
During the year 1913, 405 births were registered in the City, 250 of which,
however, did not belong thereto. To the remaining 155 must be added 12 children
born to Citizens temporarily residing outside the City boundary.
The number of births, therefore, on which the rate should be calculated is 167.
The annual birth rate was 9.4 per 1,000 persons of all ages, compared with a
quinquennial mean rate of 16.9 per 1,000.
In the Metropolis the birth rate in 1913 was 24.5 per 1,000.
This decline in the birth rate has been in operation in this country since 1876,
and is common to nearly all European countries.
VACCINATION.
Of the 402 births notified to the Vaccination Officers during 1913, 135 had been
successfully vaccinated by the end of the year, 35 had died before the age for
vaccination, and in one case the child was insusceptible. Vaccination was postponed
by medical certificate in 8 cases, 141 had removed into other districts, and 24 vaccinations
were pending at the end of the year. There were 58 cases of conscientious objection.
The Public Vaccinators performed 56 re-vaccinations during the year.
Vaccination Statistics in the City of London.
| Year. | Number of Births notified to Vaccination Officer. | Successfully Vaccinated. | Insusceptible. | Had Small-pox. | Died before Vaccination. | Vaccination Postponed. | Cases pending or removed at the end of the year. | Conscientious Objections. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | 281 | |||||||
| 1909 | 248 | 58.4 | •80 | „ | 9.6 | 5.4 | 16.5 | 8.8 |
| 1900 | 262 | 57.6 | •38 | 55 | 9.5 | 3.8 | 15.6 | 12.9 |
| 1911 | 410 | 37.5 | •24 | „ | 8.2 | 3.4 | 38.7 | 11.9 |
| 1912 | 410 | 43.9 | Nil | „ | 6.8 | 0.5 | 33.6 | 15.1 |
| Average previous 5 years | 322 | 51.4 | •43 | „ | 8.7 | 3.4 | 25.1 | 10.6 |
| 1913 | 402 | 33.6 | •25 | „ | 8.8 | 1:9 | 41.1 | 14.5 |
VACCINATION ACT, 1907.
It will be seen that the number of conscientious objectors is increasing.
This is doubtless due to the Vaccination Act of 1907, which is a direct encouragement
to persons not to take advantage of a means which it is known reduces the susceptibility
of their children to an attack of small-pox.
MORTALITY.
During the year under review, 870 deaths were registered in the District, including
733 persons dying in the City, but not belonging thereto. See Table, p. 24, for details.