London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wimbledon 1961
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
This page requires JavaScript
The four principal causes of death were as follows:-
| Number of deaths | Percentage of total deaths | |
|---|---|---|
| Disease of the heart and circulatory system | 254 | 36% |
| Cancer | 185 | 26% |
| Vascular lesions of nervous system | 81 | 11% |
| Diseases of the respiratory system | 84 | 12% |
| Totals | 604 | 85% |
The following is an analysis of the causes of death:-
| Cause | Males | Females | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Respiratory tuberculosis | - | 1 | 1 |
| 2. | Other tuberculosis | 2 | - | 2 |
| 3. | Syphilitic disease | 1 | - | 1 |
| 4. | Diphtheria | - | - | - |
| 5. | Whooping cough | - | - | - |
| 6. | Meningococcal infections | - | - | - |
| 7. | Acute poliomyelitis | 1 | - | 1 |
| 8. | Measles | - | - | - |
| 9. | Other infective and parasitic diseases | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10. | Malignant neoplasm, stomach | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| 11. | Malignant neoplasm, lung, bronchus | 45 | 10 | 55 |
| 12. | Malignant neoplasm, breast | - | 19 | 19 |
| 13. | Malignant neoplasm, uterus | - | 8 | 8 |
| 14. | Other malignant and lymphatic neoplasms | 40 | 49 | 89 |
| 15. | Leukaemia | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 16. | Diabetes | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 17. | Vascular lesions of nervous system | 23 | 58 | 81 |
| 18. | Coronary disease, angina | 78 | 69 | 147 |
| 19. | Hypertension with heart disease | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 20. | Other heart disease | 20 | 41 | 61 |
| 21. | Other circulatory disease | 14 | 18 | 32 |
| 22. | Influenza | 3 | - | 3 |
| 23. | Pneumonia | 19 | 27 | 46 |
| 24. | Bronchitis | 17 | 13 | 30 |
| 25. | Other diseases of respiratory system | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 26. | Ulcer of stomach and duodenum | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| 27. | Gastritis, enteritis and diarrhoea | - | 1 | 1 |
| 28. | Nephritis and nephrosis | - | 2 | 2 |
| 29. | Hyperplasia of prostate | 4 | - | 4 |
| 30. | Pregnancy, childbirth, abortion | - | - | - |
| 31. | Congenital malformations | - | 5 | 5 |
| 32. | Other defined and ill-defined diseases | 11 | 30 | 41 |
| 33. | Motor vehicle accidents | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| 34. | All other accidents | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| 35. | Suicide | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 36. | Homicide and operations of war | 1 | — | 1 |
| Totals | 318 | 388 | 706 | |
- 8 -