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
Woolwich 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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16
The progressive improvement in the death rate of the Eiver
Ward in the three years 1901-1903, is striking and satisfactory.
St. Margaret's Ward on the other hand shows a progressive
increase of death rate.
The marked decrease in the rates of St. Nicholas Ward and
Eltham is doubtless partly a result of the development of the
new estates in these wards, and their population with a provident
class of persons.
17. The following table gives the death rates in each parish for the past seven years. The rate for each in 1903 was the lowest recorded; the diminution in the past three years is more marked for the parishes of Woolwich and Eltham than for Plumstead.
| 1896. | 1897. | 1898. | 1899. | 1900. | 1901. | 1902. | 1903. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woolwich | 20.4 | 17.3 | 20.1 | 21.0 | 21.8 | 16.8 | 17.1 | 16.3 |
| Plumstead | 15.6 | 13.6 | 16.2 | 14.0 | 15.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 12.3 |
| Eltham | 14.7 | 14.2 | 13.5 | 16.0 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 8.5 | 8.2 |
18. The death rate for males was 14.0, and that of females
12.5.
19. Life capital saved.—In my last Annual Report I
estimated that life capital of the monetary value of about
£30,000 had been saved during 1901 and 1902, by improved
sanitary administration, principally in Woolwich and Eltham
parishes (see p. 15). The experience of 1903 would allow of
the addition of at least another £15,000 being added to this
saving in life capital. The total saving of life capital attributable
to the existing sanitary administration would be of course
a very much larger sum.