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
Barnes 1939
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barnes]
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50
Infectious Diseases Mortality.
The death-rate for 1939 from each of the seven principal
epidemic diseases (zymotic diseases) are given separately in Table VI.,
and in Table VII. the zymotic death-rate for the five years, 1934 to
1938, are contrasted with the rate for 1939. In each of these
Tables the death-rates for London and for England and Wales are
shown for comparison ; the death-rates for Barnes compare very
favourably with those.
| Disease. | Barnes. | London. | England and Wales. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-pox | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Enteric Fever | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Measles | 0.00 | 0.01 | |
| Scarlet Fever | 0.00 | 0.01 | |
| Whooping Cough | 0.03 | 0.03 | |
| Diphtheria | 0.02 | 0.05 | |
| Diarrhoea (under 2 years) | 0.11 | 0.07 | |
| Zymotic Death Rate | 0.16 | 0.17 |
| Year. | Barnes. | London. | England and Wales. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 0.56 | 0.34 | |
| 1935 | 0.26 | 0.24 | |
| 1936 | 0.48 | 0.30 | |
| 1937 | 0.29 | 0.23 | |
| 1938 | 0.33 | 0.23 | |
| 1939 | 0.16 | 0.17 |
Measles and whooping-cough were made compulsorily notifiable
throughout England and Wales in October, 1939. Measles had
continued to be a notifiable disease in Barnes since the last war, but
whooping-cough has not previously been notifiable in this Borough.
Both diseases are responsible for a large number of deaths, especially
among younger children. Mortality rates from these diseases in
Barnes, contrasted with the rates for London and for England and
Wales, are given hereunder.