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 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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a slight change in the age distribution of the deaths. For ages
under 15 years—that is, the period of childhood—the percentage
has fallen, and the same feature is found in the age group 15-35
years. During middle adult life—35-55 years—there has been
little change in the percentage, but in late adult life—over 55
years—the percentage has increased from 40.2 in 1931 to 54.2 in
1937. Without further analysis of more detailed data it is difficult
to say what these figures mean. It is possible that there is here
again an expression of the fact that advances in medical treatment
have rendered it possible for death to be postponed to the
later ages of life.
Consideration of Table IV will show the high proportion
of deaths which were due to malignant diseases, diseases of the
circulatory system, and diseases of the nervous system respectively.
Table VI.
Whipps Cross Hospital. Percentage Distribution of deaths by ages.
| Ages. | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1933 | 1936 | 1937 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 5.84 | 7.09 | 4.08 | 5.94 | 4.21 | 4.79 | 6.03 |
| 1— | 4.32 | 4.84 | 3.53 | 4.09 | 1.90 | 1.73 | 2.32 |
| 2_ | 1.84 | 2.34 | 1.45 | 2.01 | 1.40 | 1.26 | 1.19 |
| 5— | 4.08 | 3.75 | 2.35 | 3.94 | 2.15 | 2.46 | 2.64 |
| 15— | 7.27 | 7.84 | 8.17 | 6.09 | 5.20 | 5.33 | 4.84 |
| 25— | 9.35 | 9.50 | 8.71 | 7.73 | 7.67 | 6.92 | 6.16 |
| 35— | 12.00 | 8.26 | 10.86 | 6.68 | 8.90 | 8.26 | 8.48 |
| 45— | 15.10 | 15.26 | 15.21 | 15.60 | 14.19 | 14.39 | 14.13 |
| 55— | 19.50 | 20.10 | 21.02 | 20.73 | 23.27 | 21.97 | 23.05 |
| 65— | 13.82 | 13.76 | 14.87 | 18.42 | 19.80 | 21.57 | 21.36 |
| 75— | 0.68 | 5.34 | 8.64 | 8.10 | 9.49 | 9.99 | 8.61 |
| 85— | 1.20 | 1.92 | 1.11 | 0.67 | 1.82 | 1.33 | 1.19 |
| 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
Many of these conditions are especially fatal in elderly persons,
and it is probable that they were largely responsible for the
increased mortality in the later years.