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
Willesden 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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TUBERCULOSIS. Table A
| Tuberculosis Case and Death Rates (per 1,000 estimated Resident Population) | Cases on Register | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of New Cases (No. of Deaths in brackets) | Case Rates (Death Rates in brackets) | Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | All Forms | ||||||
| Year | Population | Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | All Forms | Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | All Forms | |||
| 1936 | 190,000 | 211 | 47 | 258 | Ml | 168 | 1.358 | 655 | 152 | 807 |
| (128) | (16) | (144) | (-673) | (.084) | (-757) | |||||
| 1937 | 188,030 | 205 | 49 | 254 | 1 .09 | -261 | 1.351 | 688 | 161 | 849 |
| (119) | (14) | (133) | (.632) | (.074) | (.707) | |||||
| 1938 | 187,600 | 210 | 56 | 266 | 1.119 | .298 | 1.417 | 691 | 172 | 863 |
| (117) | (11) | (128) | (.623) | (.058) | (.681) | |||||
| 1939 | 188,000 | 250 | 37 | 287 | 1.329 | . 197 | 1.526 | 678 | 166 | 844 |
| (108) | (12) | (120) | (.574) | (. 063) | (.638) | |||||
| Total | 753,600 | 876 | 189 | 1,065 | 1.162 | .251 | 1.413 | |||
| (472) | (53) | (525) | (.626) | (.070) | (.696) | |||||
| 1940 | 152,030 | 204 | 54 | 258 | 1.324 | .355 | 1.697 | 587 | 145 | 732 |
| (105) | (16) | (121) | (.690) | (.105) | (.795) | |||||
| 1941 | 127,230 | 217 | 32 | 249 | 1.705 | .252 | 1.957 | 575 | 116 | 691 |
| (79) | (15) | (94) | (.621) | (.117) | (.738) | |||||
| 1942 | 138,600 | 234 | 47 | 281 | 1.688 | .339 | 2.027 | 369 | 133 | 502 |
| (100) | (15) | (115) | (.721) | (.108) | (.829) | |||||
| 1943 | 144,430 | 262 | 51 | 313 | 1.814 | .353 | 2.167 | 734 | 150 | 884 |
| (85) | (14) | (99) | (.589) | (.096) | (.685) | |||||
| 1944 | 139,510 | 210 | 23 | 233 | 1.505 | .165 | 1.670 | 815 | 156 | 971 |
| (84) | (18) | (102) | (.602) | (.129) | (.731) | . | ||||
| 1945 | 161,954 | 207 | 45 | 252 | 1.278 | .277 | 1.556 | 927 | 172 | 1,1099 |
| (81) | (16) | (97) | (. 500) | (.098) | (.598) | |||||
| Total | 863,754 | 1,334 | 252 | 1,586 | 1.544 | .292 | 1.836 | |||
| (534) | (94) | (628) | (.619) | (.108) | (.727) | |||||
| 1946 | 170,550 | 255 | 34 | 289 | 1 .495 | .199 | 1.694 | 1,067 | 180 | 1,247 |
| (95) | (11) | (106) | (.557) | (.065) | (.622) | |||||
| 1947 | 175,900 | 253 | 33 | 286 | 1 .438 | . 188 | 1.626 | 1,198 | 191 | 1,389 |
| (78) | (9) | (87) | (.443) | (.051) | (.494) | |||||
| 1948 | 179,900 | 243 | 27 | 270 | 1.351 | .150 | 1.501 | 1,293 | 196 | 1,489 |
| (80) | (11) | (91) | (.445) | (.061) | (.506) | |||||
| 1949 | 181,120 | 186 | 22 | 208 | 1.026 | .121 | 1.147 | 1,386 | 207 | 1,593 |
| (66) | (9) | (75) | (. 364) | (.050) | (.414) | |||||
| Total | 707,470 | 937 | 116 | 1,053 | 1.324 | . 164 | 1.488 | |||
| (319) | (40) | (359) | (.451) | (.056) | (.507) | |||||
The death rates, the case rates and the numbers on the tuberculosis register, illustrate the development
of tuberculosis in Willesden. These figures remained fairly stationary in the pre-war period 1936.39, but the
war brought increases which were continued into the post-war period.
Deaths from Tuberculosis. (See Table A)
The death rates from both forms of tuberculosis rose during the war, but in 1945 they were for the first
time lower than in 1939, and they have been falling steadily ever since. Although a study of the death rates
gives an indication of the struggle against tuberculosis, it does not give an accurate picture for any particular
year, since many deaths occurring during the year are the result of infection contracted over five years previously.