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 1940
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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(3) DEATHS.
(a.) General.
There were 390 deaths registered in Barking during
1940. Of these 24 were deaths of non-residents.
Barking residents to the number of 300 died elsewhere
during the year. Including the latter and excluding
the deaths of visitors, the net number of deaths was
as follows:-
Males Females Total
376 290 666
The following table shows the principal causes of death during 1940:-
( Net Deaths )
| Causes of Death | Total |
|---|---|
| Cerebro Spinal Fever | 5 |
| Diphtheria | 1 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 41 |
| Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 2 |
| Syphilitic diseases | 4 |
| Influenza | 6 |
| Acute Inf. Encephalitis | 2 |
| Cancer (all forms) | 110 |
| Diabetes | 8 |
| Intra-cranial vascular lesions | 48 |
| Heart Disease | 122 |
| Other diseases of circulatory system | 27 |
| Bronchitis | 52 |
| Pneumonia | 42 |
| Other respiratory diseases | 15 |
| Ulcer of stomach or duodenum | 5 |
| Diarrhoea (under 2 years) | 2 |
| Appendicitis | 6 |
| Other digestive diseases | 18 |
| Nephritis | 11 |
| Puerperal & post-abortive sepsis | 1 |
| Other maternal causes | 3 |
| Premature Birth | 13 |
| Congenital Malformations, birth injury infantile diseases | 7 |
| Suicide | 5 |
| Road traffic accidents | 9 |
| Other violent causes | 61 |
| All other causes | 40 |
| Total | 666 |
(b) Infant Mortality.
It is most gratifying to me to be able to report
that this figure has once again surpassed all Barking
records, the infant mortality rate for 1940 is 32.95
and is probably one of the lowest for the country. In
these difficult times it must be all the more a subject
of satisfaction for you and a credit to the work done
by your services.
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