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
Shoreditch 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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282 cases of rheumatism and 77 of gout. The latter disorder, although lower in
point of number than in the preceding year, was above the average for the past
15 years. Dyspepsia and other disorders of the digestive system accounted for 506
cases. Cases of cancer were below the average for the past 15 years, numbering 20,
as compared' with 43 in 1906, 37 in 1905, 27 in 1904, 30 in 1903, 12 in 1902, 31 in
1901, 33 in 1900, 18 in 1899, 9 in 1898, 15 in 1897, 21 in 1896, 15 in 1895, 27 in
1894, and 23 in 1893. Diseases of the skin were more numerous than in any year
since 1892, and diseases of the urinary system, including Bright's disease of the
kidneys, were more numerous than usual.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The infectious diseases included under the headings numbered 1 to 35 inclusive
in Table VI. (Appendix) resulted in 747 deaths, as compared with 776 in 1906, 717
in 1905, 791 in 1904, 762 in 1903, 767 in 1902 and 762 in 1901. The deaths from
these diseases were, therefore, below the average for the previous six years. They
amounted to 31.5 per cent, of the deaths from all causes. The decrease in the
number of deaths from these diseases mainly resulted from the comparatively small
number of deaths from diarrhoea. Deaths from consumption and other forms of
disease caused by the tubercle bacillus amounted to 44 per cent, of the whole. Of
the remainder measles, whooping cough and diarrhoea in the order named were
responsible for the greater number. The death-rate from these infectious diseases
was 6.5 per 1,000 inhabitants, as compared with 6.7 in 1906, 6.2 in 1905, 6.8 in
1904 and 6.5 in 1903.
In the subjoined table the deaths from the infectious diseases referred to above have been grouped according to age: —
| Age period. | Under 1 | 1-5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 25-35 | 35-45 | 45-55 | 55-65 | 65-75 | 75-85 | 85 and upwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of deaths | 178 | 240 | 29 | 17 | 23 | 24 | 53 | 72 | 53 | 31 | 18 | 8 | 1 |
It will be noticed that more than half of these deaths were of children under
the age of five years. Taking the total mortality amongst children under five years
of age, over 42 per cent. of the deaths resulted from these infectious diseases. In
infants under one year diarrhoea and whooping cough were the most fatal of these
diseases, whilst amongst children aged from one to five years measles and whooping
cough claimed most of the victims. Tuberculosis was also a common cause of death
amongst children under five years of age. Consumption was the chief cause of the
mortality from these diseases between the ages of 20 and 65 years.