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 1915
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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57. The following table gives the number of deaths from each of the various forms of tuberculosis in the past 10 years, and also the deaths from simple meningitis:—
| Average. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuberculous Meningitis | 1901.5. | 1906.10. | 1911. | 1912. | 1913. | 1914. | 1915. |
| 20.0 | 22.8 | 20 | 23 | 14 | 29 | 18 | |
| Simple Meningitis | 22.0 | 15.0 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 16 |
| Tuberculosis of Intestines and Peritoneum | 13.0 | 10.8 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 5 |
| Tuberculosis (other forms) | 20.8 | 22.2 | 29 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 8 |
| Phthisis | 192.0 | 151.4 | 146 | 124 | 182 | 163 | 201 |
58. The deaths from phthisis were 201, giving a death.rate
of l.49, compared with 1.08, 1.20, 1.01, l.42, and 1.27 in the
five preceding years. The rate of the last three years is
higher than it has been since 1906, but is considerably below
that of the quinquennia 1891.5, 1896.1900, and 1901.5, as is
shown in the following table.
The rise in the phthisis death.rate is parallel with that of
bronchitis and pneumonia. In each case 1912 showed a
minimum, and the three subsequent years a marked rise.
Comparing 1915 with 1913 the increase in phthisis mortality
is nearly equal in both sexes, but whereas there is an increase
at ages over 35 of 29, at ages between 15 and 35 there is a
decrease of 19.
The rise is not confined to Woolwich—London also had
the highest death.rate since 1905.