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
West Ham 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
This page requires JavaScript
SUMMARY OF VITAL STATISTICS, 1945
| Area of Borough | 4,689 acres | |
| 1945 | 1944 | |
| Population (R.G.'s mid-year estimate) | 135,260 | 128,620 |
| Live births—legitimate | 2,696 | 2,609 |
| Live births—illegitimate | 229 | 185 |
| —2,925 | — 2,794 | |
| Birth rate (per 1,000 population) | 21.6 | 21.7 |
| Stillbirths—legitimate | 66 | 53 |
| Stillbirths—illegitimate | 6 | 7 |
| -72 | — 60 | |
| Stillbirth rate (per 1,000 total live and stillbirths) | 24 | 21 |
| Number of deaths | 2,052 | 1,869 |
| Death rate (per 1,000 population) | 15.2 | 14.5 |
| Deaths of infants under one year | 112 | 120 |
| Infantile mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) | 38 | 43 |
| Maternal deaths: | ||
| Puerperal sepsis | 1 | 1 |
| Other causes | 5 | 3 |
| Total maternal deaths | 6 | 4 |
| Maternal death rate (per 1,000 live births) | 2.05 | 1.43 |
| Maternal death rate (per 1,000 live and stillbirths) | 2.00 | 1.40 |
VARIOUS DISEASES: Cases and deaths.
| Cases | Case rate per 1,000 pop. | Deaths | Death rate per 1,000 pop. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallpox | — | - | - | - |
| Scarlet fever | 382 | 2.83 | l | 0.007 |
| Diphtheria | 133 | 0.98 | 2 | 0.01 |
| Enteric fever | 1 | 0.007 | - | - |
| Measles | 2,403 | 17.77 | 4 | 0.03 |
| Whooping cough | 131 | 0.97 | 1 | 0.007 |
| Diarrhoea and enteritis under 2 years (rate per 1,000 live births) | - | - | 21 | 7.18 |
| Pneumonia: | ||||
| Acute primary and influenzal | 179 | 1.32 | - | - |
| All forms | — | - | 80 | 0.59 |
| Bronchitis | — | - | 167 | 1.23 |
| Pulmonary tuberculosis | 178 | 1.32 | 107 | 0.79 |
| Other forms of tuberculosis | 34 | 0.25 | 15 | 0.11 |
| Cancer | - | 284 | 2.11 |