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
Marylebone 1939
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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Death Rate of Infants under one year of age—
All infants per 1,000 live births 60.64
Legitimate infants per 1,000 legitimate live births 48.54
Illegitimate infants per 1,000 illegitimate live births 160.92
Deaths from Cancer (all ages) 139
Deaths from Measles (all ages) —
Deaths from Whooping Cough (all ages) 1
Deaths from Diarrhoea (under 2 years) 10
The various causes contributing to the mortality of the Borough are referred
to later in this section of the report. There was no unusual or excessive mortality
during the year which calls for comment.
NOTEWORTHY CAUSES OF SICKNESS.
The Ministry of Health require information as to any causes of sickness or
invalidity which have been specially noteworthy in the area during the year; any
conditions of occupation or environment which appear to have had a prejudicial
effect on health; and any evidence, statistical or otherwise, that unemployment has
exercised any significant influence on the health or physique of children or adults.
There is nothing to report in respect of any of the questions raised by the Ministry
under this head.
POPULATION.
The population at the middle of 1939, and the average population for that year,
as estimated by the Registrar-General, are shown in Table 2, and these figures are
used in calculating the various rates given in this report. For information, the
estimated population of each of the Sub-Districts is also set out and for comparison
the Census and estimated figures for 1931.
TABLE 2.
| Basis | Year. | The Borough. | All Souls. | St. Mary. | Christ Church. | St. John. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Census | 1931 | 97,620 | 22,380 | 25,667 | 29,636 | 19,937 |
| Estimated to middle of | 1931 | 93,460 | 21,422 | 24,575 | 28,375 | 19,088 |
| | 1939 | 89,160 | 20,230 | 23,445 | 27,115 | 18,370 | |
| Estimated average for year | 1939 | 82,040 | 18,610 | 21,570 | 24,950 | 16,910 |
BIRTHS.
Registration.—The number of births registered during 1939 was 837, being
35 more than in 1938. Of the children born, 377 were boys and 460 girls. The
birth rate per 1,000 of the population was 9.06 as against 8.84 in 1938.
Table 3 contains a comparison of the rates in the several registration sub-districts and the Borough as a whole for 1939, with those of each of the five previous years
TABLE 3.
| Sub-District | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Souls | 6.8 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 8.7 |
| St. Mary | 8.7 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 7.2 | 6.0 | 7.3 |
| Christ Church | 12.5 | 12.3 | 12.9 | 11.9 | 10.8 | 10.9 |
| St. John | 7.2 | 8.9 | 8.0 | 9.9 | 9.1 | 10.6 |
| The Borough | 9.0 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 9.3 | 8.8 | 9.06 |
District births for the year ended 31st December, 1939, are given in Table 4.
Vital statistics of separate localities for 1939, and the ten preceding years, will be
found in Table 11 on page 14.