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10
CHANGES IN THE DEATH RATES FROM VARIOUS
DISEASES AND AT VARIOUS AGES SINCE 1881.
Dr. A. A. Turner, while Deputy Medical Officer of Health for
the borough, made a study of changes in the Croydon death-rate
since 1881; and I am glad to be able to make use of his detailed
investigation and analysis for the following summary, which refers
to the forty-three years 1881-1923. Unfortunately the cost of illustrating
the changes by means of charts makes such a course
prohibitive for the purpose of this report. The statistical data from
which fuller particulars of the changes can be obtained are given
in Table A.
1.—The general death-rate for all ages together has dropped
steadily since 1881. All the main infectious and constitutional
diseases have shared in the decline, with the exception of pneumonia,
the death-rate from which has remained stationary, and
cancer, the death-rate from which rose steadily, though with a
tendency to remain stationary in recent years.
2.—The death-rate has shown no tendency to rise in any agegroup;
and the decline in the general death-rate at all ages together
has been associated with:
(a) A very marked decrease in the death-rate for infants under
one year of age (infant mortality). The decrease did not
begin till 1900 and was not pronounced till 1905. It was
shared by the following diseases, the date representing the
approximate commencement of the drop: bronchitis
(1895); diarrhœa (1900); tuberculosis, non-pulmonary
(1905); congenital debility, malformation and premature
birth (1910); measles (irregular decrease). Pneumonia has
not shared in the decrease. The most serious diseases in
recent years, in descending order of importance in regard
to the death-rate in infancy, have been : congenital
debility and premature birth, diarrhœa, pneumonia, bronchitis,
whooping cough, tuberculosis (non-pulmonary),
and measles.
(b) A substantial decrease in the death-rate for children from
1—5 years of age. The decrease began about 1890, and
was rapid and even from 1896; it involved all the chief
diseases except pneumonia. The diseases causing most
deaths in recent years at ages 1—5 years are as follows,
in descending order of importance: pneumonia, tuberculosis
(non-pulmonary), measles, whooping cough, bronchitis,
diphtheria.