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
Bromley 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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During the past five years the number of stillbirths occurring is shown in the following table:—
| Year. | Stillbirths. | Rate per 1,000 births. |
|---|---|---|
| 1927 | 16 | 25.2 |
| 1928 | 10 | 15.3 |
| 1929 | 23 | 36.8 |
| 1930 | 17 | 27.0 |
| 1931 | 26 | 40.4 |
It is difficult to determine whether the registration
of stillbirths has brought about an increased efficiency
in notification. The indiscriminate and undue publicity
given to birth control is giving rise to interference with
pregnancy, a matter to which I drew attention in my
previous report. With a downward tendency in the
birth rate and an upward tendency in the stillbirth rate
there is real reason for concern.
Deaths.
Four hundred and ninety-seven deaths were registered
during the year, of which 221 were males and 276
females. This figure gives a Death Kate of 10.9, an
increase of 1.1 over the date for 1930. The 1931 Death
Rate for England and Wales is 12.3.
The following tabulation gives the crude death rates for Bromley compared with the death rates for England and Wales during the past ten years:—
| Year. | Bromley. Crude Death Rate, | England and Wales. Death Rate. |
|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 11.8 | 12.9 |
| 1923 | 10.5 | 11.6 |
| 1924 | 11.1 | 12.2 |
| 1925 | 10.3 | 12.2 |
| 1926 | 10.04 | 11.6 |
| 1927 | 10.8 | 12.3 |
| 1928 | 10.8 | 11.7 |
| 1929 | 11.7 | 13.4 |
| 1930 | 9.8 | 11.4 |
| 1931 | 10.9 | 12.3 |
Note. The crude death rate for 1930 has been corrected to the mid-year
population for that year.)
Age grouping and sex distribution of the population
are important factors which must be taken into consideration
when comparing death rates. A higher death rate