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
West Ham 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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Table showing Causes of Death under One Year.
| Cause | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congenital Debility, Malformation and Prematurity | 141 | 146 | 149 | 134 | 139 |
| Pneumonia | 81 | 74 | 106 | 88 | 113 |
| Bronchitis | 22 | 16 | 20 | 27 | 10 |
| Other Respiratory Diseases | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Diarrhoea, etc | 81 | 84 | 28 | 43 | 52 |
| Measles | 4 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 6 |
| Scarlet Fever | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Diphtheria | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Whooping Cough | 39 | 8 | 35 | 7 | 40 |
| Influenza | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Smallpox | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Meningococcal Meningitis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Other Tuberculosis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Deaths from Violence | 19 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Other Defined Diseases | 71 | 57 | 53 | 61 | 44 |
Out of the total 427 deaths under one year, 32.5 per cent.
were due to prematurity and congenital debility. Respiratory
diseases continue to play a large part in raising infantile mortality;
29.2 per cent. were due to pneumonia, bronchitis or other
respiratory diseases. The large number due to Whooping Cough
is worthy of special note having regard to the lack of research
into the cause and treatment of this particularly distressing infectious
disease.
135