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 1906
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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previous five years, but the decline in death-rate in 1901-5 has been much more marked than in Plumstead.
| Average 188G-1890 | Average 1891-1895 | Average 1896-1900 | Average 1901-1905 | Average 1906 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woolwich Boro' | 17.2 | 16.9 | 13.9 | 13.1 | |
| Woolwich Parish | *20.4 | 19.3 | 20.1 | 16.5 | 15.5 |
| Plumstead „ | 16.4 | 16.0 | 15.1 | 12.9 | 12.2 |
| Eltham „ | ... | 13.0 | 14.6 | 10.2 | 10.2 |
| London | 20.0 | 19.8 | 18.5 | 16.1 | 15.1 |
| * Three years—1888,1889 and 1890. | |||||
15. The death.rate among males was 14'7 and among females
13'6. In 1905 the numbers were 14'0 and 13'4 respectively.
These rates are estimated on the numbers of the two sexes found
at the census of 1901, and can only be taken, therefore, as
representing the relative death.rates of the two sexes—not the
absolute.
16. Tables VII.a and VII.is, kindly supplied by the Registrar
General, give a summary of the Vital Statistics of the County
and Metropolitan Boroughs in the five years 1901.5 and in 1906.
Six Boroughs had a lower death-rate than Woolwich, viz.—
Westminster, Hampstead, Stoke Newington, Lewisham,
Paddington, and Wandsworth. It will be noted that each of
these is a residential borough, i.e. a district where those who can
afford to choose their locality prefer to reside. Such people are,
for the most part, of the well-to-do classes, who, being better able
to provide against illness and bad health, have normally a lower
death-rate. Correction can be applied for age distribution but
not for class distribution.
B 2