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
Acton 1919
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]
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The disease has shown periods of minimum and maximum prevalence,
and these periods have extended to about 8 years. The
period 1892-1899 was a period of maximum prevalence with an
average yearly death-rate of .275 per 1,000 inhabitants. The following
8 years 1900-1907 was a period of minimum prevalence with
an average yearly death-rate of .08 per 1,000, followed again by
another period of maximum prevalence 1908-1915 with an average
yearly death-rate of .187 per 1,000.
The last 4 years have had an average death-rate of .046 per
1,000.
It is satisfactory to observe that although the disease still has its periods of maximum and minimum prevalence, the peaks are less exalted and the troughs more depressed, as the following figures show:—
| Period. | Average Death-Rate per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| 1892-1899 | .275 |
| 1900-1907 | .08 |
| 1908-1915 | .187 |
| 1916-1919 | .046 |
Enteric Fever.
There were 5 Notifications of Enteric Fever, and one death.
Three of the cases had food outside the district, and one of
them had partaken of shell-fish before the onset of symptoms.
Encephalitis Lethargica.
One case occurred, and the patient died of the disease.
Infantile Mortality.
Seventy-two deaths occurred in children under 1 year of age;
this number corresponds to an infantile mortality of 65 per 1,000
births.
The Infantile Mortality in the whole of England and Wales
was 89 per 1,000 births, in London 85 and in the 96 Great Towns 9.;
per 1,000 births.