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
Carshalton 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Carshalton]
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Rather more than 30% of all deaths were due to heart disease in
one form or another. Coronary disease of the heart was twice as fatal
in males, whilst this position was reversed in the case of other forms of
cardiac illness.
Tuberculosis mortality was again low, only four deaths being
assigned to this cause. Three of the deaths were in persons fifty years
old and over; the fourth, the only female to die of tuberculosis, was
aged 30. With the continuing success of the anti-tuberculosis scheme,
both in the preventive and curative fields, it is to be expected that fatality
will as time goes on be mainly the result of senile illness.
The progressive decline in fatal tuberculosis is demonstrated by the following figures for deaths from this disease over the last 20 years:—
| Year | Deaths from Tuberculosis | Death Rate per 1,000 Population | Year | Deaths from Tuberculosis | Death Rate per 1,000 Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | 40 | 0.71 | 1951 | 21 | 0.34 |
| 1942 | 26 | 0.46 | 1952 | 15 | 0.24 |
| 1943 | 46 | 0.81 | 1953 | 13 | 0.21 |
| 1944 | 33 | 0.63 | 1954 | 14 | 0.22 |
| 1945 | 28 | 0.51 | 1955 | 3 | 0.04 |
| 1946 | 25 | 0.41 | 1956 | 8 | 0.13 |
| 1947 | 25 | 0.40 | 1957 | 3 | 0.04 |
| 1948 | 25 | 0.40 | 1958 | 9 | 0.14 |
| 1949 | 22 | 0.35 | 1959 | 3 | 0.04 |
| 1950 | 13 | 0.20 | 1960 | 4 | 0.06 |
The distribution of tuberculosis mortality by wards and other details
are given in Section F of this report.
There was again during the year, the fourth in succession, no death
from notifiable infectious disease other than tuberculosis.
Violent causes accounted for the death of 23 residents. They
were:—
Road traffic accidents 7 (all male)
Railway accident 1
Accidental fall 1
Drowning 2
Inhaled vomit 1
Accidental gas poisoning 1
Burns 1
Asphyxia from plastic bag 1
Suicide 8
Inquests
Inquests were held on 58 persons who died in the district. The
following verdicts were returned:—
Accidental death
Accidental gas poisoning 2
Accidents 3
Road Traffic 16
Falls 14
Lack of attention at birth 1
Misadvanture 4
Open verdict 2
Suicide 12
Natural causes 4
Seventeen of the total were residents of the district.
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