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
Barking 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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18
that both have been operative factors. It is with regret that I
cannot assign the whole to the very praiseworthy efforts that have
been made to improve the amenities of our town life.
If we cannot compare, without correction, one year with another
in the same district, then it would be childish to compare
one district with another, until the nature of their populations
have been examined. I am afraid that this simple precaution is
frequently overlooked, and many wrong conclusions drawn by
the uninitiated. To get an idea of the significance of our deathrate,
I have compared it with England and Wales in two ways.
ist.—The death-rate of the country generally for the year 1911
has been calculated on the supposition that its age and sex distribution
was the same as Barking in the corresponding year.
These distributions have already been given (page 15 ), and that for England and Wales is :—
| Persons. | Males. | Females. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death rates (England and Wales) standardized to 1901 | 14.3 | 15.3 | 13.3 |
| 0—5 | 43.7 | 47.3 | 40.1 |
| 5—10 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| 10—15 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.1 |
| 15—20 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
| 20—25 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.2 |
| 25—35 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.1 |
| 35—45 | 7.3 | 8.1 | 6.6 |
| 45—55 | 13.0 | 14.7 | 11.4 |
| 55—65 | 26.1 | 29.6 | 23.0 |
| 65—75 | 56.4 | 63.4 | 50.9 |
| 75—85 | 124.2 | 135.7 | 116.4 |
| 85 and upwards | 246.2 | 270.7 | 232.7 |
| Deaths of infants under 1 year per 1,000 births | 130.0 | 142.0 | 117.0 |