London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Marylebone 1941

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]

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5
The corrected death-rate per 1,000 of the population was 19.49.
In the previous year, the rate was 18.07 and the number of deaths 1,223.
The variety and magnitude of local population movements throughout the country and the uneven incidence of
civilian war deaths have together combined to frustrate the attempt to secure comparability between local deathrates
by the use of areal comparability factors. The Registrar-General has therefore suspended, for the time being,
the preparation and issue of such factors ; consequently the usual comparability adjustment has not been made in
calculating the death-rate for the year 1941.
Infantile Mortality.—The number of babies under one year who died in St. Marylebone in 1941 was 17 and the
number of births allocated by the Registrar-General for the calculation of infantile and maternal mortality rates in
that year, 460. The infantile mortality rate is therefore 41.77.
The Registrar-General's figure for legitimate births was 325 and the deaths amongst legitimate infants numbered
12, giving a rate of 36.92. There were 82 illegitimate births and 5 deaths, the rate being 60.98.
In 1940 the death-rate for all infants per 1,000 live births was 67.07.

TABLE2.INFANTILE MORTALITY.

Nett Deaths from Stated Causes at various ages under One Year, and in Sub-Districts.

Code No.CAUSE OF DEATH.Under 1 Week.1 and under 2 Weeks.1 and under 3 Months.3 and under 6 Months.6 and under 9 Months.All Souls.St. Mary.North Marylebone.Total
6Whooping Cough-1--11
7Diarrhoea1122
8Enteritis111213
12Congenital Malformation3121236
13Premature Birth222
27Other Causes21123
Totals8142'2431017

No infantile deaths occurred in the age-groups 2 and under 4 weeks, 9 and under 12 months, or from the following causes not shown
in the table : Small-pox, chicken-pox, measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria and membranous croup (Nos. 1—5), tuberculous meningitis,
abdominal tuberculosis, other tuberculous diseases (9—11), atrophy, debility and marasmus, atelectasis, injury at birth, erysipelas,
syphilis, rickets, meningitis (not tuberculous), convulsions, gastritis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia (all forms), suffocation, overlying
(14—26).

Nett Infantile

Nett Births.Deaths.Nett Stillbirths.
M.F.M.F.M.F.
Legitimate166159771
Illegitimate50325542
216191125113
40717. 14

Maternal Mortality.—In 1941 the number of deaths due to conditions connected with or consequent upon childbirth
was 1, the maternal mortality rate being 2.43 per 1,000 births. The death occurred in hospital following
miscarriage, the age of the woman being 26 years. In 1940 there was 1 death, the death-rate being 1.98 per 1,000 births.
Mortuary.-—Use continued to be made of the Paddington Public Mortuary until the 20th January, 1941, when
the Council's Emergency Mortuary at No. 24, Hill Road, St. John's Wood, became available for normal mortuary
purposes. During the year 18 bodies (11 males, 7 females) were deposited, but no post-mortem examinations were
carried out at the Hill Road premises. Further emergency mortuary accommodation was provided in Chiltern
Street in 1941.
Crematorium.—One hundred and forty-two certificates authorising cremation at the St. Marylebone Crematorium,
Finchley, were issued—127 by the Medical Referee and 15 by the Deputy Medical Referee.
SECTION B.—GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES.
Staff.—The details normally required by the Ministry of Health with regard to the staff of the department are
omitted on this occasion. By the death of Mr. J. F. F. Rowland a long association, extending over 36 years, with the
analytical work of the Council was terminated. He had held the office of Public Analyst for the Borough since April,
1921, and at all times his work was characterised by a high sense of public duty. The death of Miss L. J. Donnell
(part-time Health Visitor) at her home as a result of enemy action is also recorded with great regret. On the 7th July,
1941, Miss P. K. Pepler (Tuberculosis Visitor) was released by the Council for service as a Ministry of Health Inspector
for the duration of the war. Sergeant-Observer M. Kelly, R.A.F. (Third class clerk) first reported missing, is now a
prisoner of war in Germany.
Laboratory Facilities.—Dr. L. E. H. Whitby, C.V.O.,M.C., is the Council's Bacteriologist, but during his absence
on military duties, Dr. C. J. C. Britton, Assistant Pathologist, Middlesex Hospital, has acted in that capacity. The
work is carried out in the Bland Sutton Institute of Pathology at the Middlesex Hospital.
Mr. J. F. F. Rowland, B.A., A.I.C., of No. 133, Gloucester Place, N.W.I, was Public Analyst for the Borough until
his death on the 2nd November, 1941. He was succeeded in that office by Mr. G. A. Stokes, F.I.C., F.C.S., whose
laboratory is situated at No. 159, Edgware Road, W.2.