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
Hendon 1944
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hendon]
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2.
The infantile mortality rate, namely 32 per 1,000 live births
was equal to the lowest ever recorded in the Borough and compared with
46 for the country generally and 52 for the County Boroughs snd great
towns including London. This rate is the most delicate of all vital
statistics in reflecting the sociological circumstances of an area,
inevitably being high in places where bad housing conditions, overcrowding,
and maternal ignorance ore prevalent. It is, therefore,
gratifying to be able to record the low level at which this rate is being
maintained. In this connection, the downward trend which is illustrated
in the following Table will be of interest.
TABLE I.
| Year. | Death rate of infants under one year of age per 1000 live births. |
|---|---|
| 1900 | 133 |
| 1910 | 80 |
| 1920 | 47 . |
| 1930 | 50 |
| 1940 | 54 |
| 1941 | 57 |
| 1942 | 34 |
| 1943 | 39 |
| 1944 | 32 |
The general death rate of the population was 10.18 as compared with
11.6 for the country generally end 13.7 for the County Boroughs and great
towns including London.
As against these generally favourable vital statistics, there must
be placed the facts that notifications of new cases of pulmonary Tuberculosis
increased from 174 to 208. In only one year of the war, namely in 1942, was
this figure exceeded, when 234 new cases were notified.