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 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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Infantile Mortality.
The infantile mortality rate is 64.4 per 1,000 births, shewing
a decrease of 6.6 compared with 1932. For the 118 great towns
the rate was 67.0.
The total number of deaths under one year was 284, of which
164 were males and 120 females. Ten of these deaths occurred
amongst illegitimate infants.
The following table of the causes of death illustrates again
the fact that many of these infants would appear to be "born to
die." They are congenitally weak or deformed, with insufficient
vitality to maintain life even when all care and attention are given
to them. Many die within the first four weeks after birth: the
neonatal death rate remains high, and to this may be attributed
the fact that, both in West Ham and the country as a whole, the
infantile mortality rate is as high as 60—70 deaths per 1,000
births.
| Congenital debility, prematurity malformation | 128 |
| Diarrhoea, digestive diseases, etc. | 54 |
| Pneumonia and Bronchitis | 42 |
| Tuberculosis (all forms) | 10 |
| Syphilis | 1 |
| Heart Disease | 1 |
| Infectious Diseases | 26 |
| Deaths from other defined diseases | 22 |
| Total | 284 |
Total number of deaths from 1—5 years of age during 1933
was 144. During this age period there are more deaths from the
commoner infectious diseases, and less from digestive disorders.
| Infections diseases | |
| (a) Whooping Cough | 26 |
| (b) Diphtheria | 24 |
| (c) Influenza | 3 |
| (d) Scarlet Fever | 2 |
| (e) Cerebro Spinal Meningitis | 5 |
| Pneumonia and Bronchitis | 48 |
| Tuberculosis (all forms) | 8 |
| Diarrhoea, digestive disorders | 8 |
| Appendicitis | 3 |
| Other defined diseases | 17 |
| Total | 144 |