London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Whitechapel 1890

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]

This page requires JavaScript

6
Percentage of Deaths for each Age period :—
26.7 % of the total deaths took place under the age of 1 year.
18.1 „ „ „ between the ages of 1 and 5.
4.9 „ „ „ „ 5 and 20.
12.5 „ „ „ „ 20 and 40.
19.7 „ „ „ „ 40 and 60.
159 „ „ „ „ 60 and 80.
2.0 „ „ „ over the age of 80.
In Table F * of the Appendix will be found registered the
deaths, according to age-distribution. The deaths of infants
under the age of one year, in London, equalled 23.5 per cent. of
the total deaths, and 16.2 per cent. of the registered births: whilst
in the Whitechapel District, those infants who died under the age
of one year, equalled 26.7 per cent. of the total deaths, and 18.3
per cent. of the registered births.
The deaths of children under five years of age, including the
above, were for London equal to 40.1 per cent. of the total
deaths and 27.6 per cent. of the registered births; and for the
Whitechapel District they were equal to 44.9 per cent. of the
total deaths, and 30.8 per cent. of the registered births. A
classification of the causes of death appears in Table I †, where I
have contrasted the Metropolitan and District deaths from each
class of disease. A result very much in accord with that noted
in previous years is apparent. The zymotic deaths are fewer
amongst the Whitechapel residents, whilst the deaths from
Respiratory and Constitutional diseases are more than those
recorded for the entire Metropolis. This is what we should have
anticipated, because so many of the residents are employed in
dock labour and river-side work.
Not a single death is entered under the heading of Small-pox.
In fact only 3 Metropolitan deaths were registered as due to that
disease. As the third volume of the evidence taken by the Royal
Commission on Vaccination has recently been published, it is
probable that before long the Report of the Commission will be
laid before Parliament. I have read very critically the evidence,
which is very exhaustive, and to my mind it seems clear that the
* Page 26.
† Page 28.