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
Wimbledon 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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Table II. gives the causes of, and ages at, death during 1930. Deaths due to notifiable infectious diseases are given on p. 38. The principal causes of death, apart from zymotic deaths, are as follows:—
| Cancer | 106 | |
| Heart Disease | 128 | 188 |
| Cerebral Hæmorrhage | 35 | |
| Arterio Sclerosis | 25 | |
| Pneumonia | 44 | 79 |
| Bronchitis | 23 | |
| Other Inspiratory Diseases | 12 | |
| Tuberculosis (Respiratory) | 34 | |
Cancer—
Cancer and malignant disease were responsible for 106
deaths or 16.3 per cent. of the total number recorded.
The following table gives the percentage figures since 1921.
Deaths from Cancer.
| Year | Total Deaths | Cancer Deaths | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 634 | 83 | 13 08 |
| 1922 | 616 | 91 | 14.7 |
| 1923 | 546 | 68 | 12.4 |
| 1924 | 645 | 86 | 13 3 |
| 1925 | 637 | 90 | 14.1 |
| 1926 | 579 | 104 | 17.9 |
| 1927 | 619 | 75 | 12.1 |
| 1928 | 632 | 84 | 13 2 |
| 1929 | 774 | 103 | 13.3 |
| 1930 | 648 | 106 | 16.3 |
Although these figures vary considerably from year to year,
there appears to be no direct evidence that cancer is on the
increase in Wimbledon.
Diseases of the heart and circulation.
128 deaths were due to heart disease. In addition there
were 35 deaths from cerebral hæmorrhage and 25 from arteriosclerosis.
Thus, 188 deaths occurred from diseases of the heart
and circulation. This figure represents 29 per cent. of the total
number of deaths recorded.
Bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
23 deaths were due to bronchitis,
44 to pneumonia and 12
to other respiratory diseases. This gives a total figure of 79,
or 12 per cent. of the deaths occurring amongst residents of the
borough during 1930.
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