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
Hackney 1912
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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47
ALCOHOLISM.
During the year under consideration there were 5 deaths from
acute alcoholic poisoning; there were also 30 deaths registered as
due to cirrhosis of the liver, a condition regarded as a rule to be
due to excessive indulgence in alcohol, extending over lengthy
periods.
VACCINATION.
Appended is a summary of the proceedings under the Vaccination
Acts, during the year 1912. It will be seen from this that
the practice of vaccination in the Borough is still declining. The
number of birth certificates received during last year was 5,437
and the number of vaccination certificates received during the same
period 2,272. This latter is equal to 42 per cent, of the births,
leaving 58 per cent, of infants unvaccinated. This is the highest
percentage of infants escaping vaccination, recorded since the year
1898.
The following table shows the fluctuations in the proportion
of infants unvaccinated to births, and also the growth in the number of certificates and declarations of conscientious objection received by the vaccination officers from, and including the year 1898, the first year during which certificates of conscientious objection were received, up to date.
| Year. | No. of Certificates of Births Received. | No. of Certificates of Vaccination Received. | Percentage of Infants Escaping Vaccination. | No. of Certificates and Declarations of Conscientious Objection Received. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | 6,356 | 2,286 | 64% | 64 |
| 1899 | 6,450 | 3,019 | 53% | 61 |
| 1900 | 6,423 | 2,903 | 55% | 64 |
| 1901 | 6,351 | 2,998 | 53% | 61 |
| 1902 | 6,274 | 3,926 | 48% | 51 |
| 1903 | 6,190 | 3,943 | 36% | 81 |
| 1904 | 6,190 | 3,733 | 40% | 74 |
| 1905 | 5,881 | 3,618 | 39% | 69 |
| 1906 | 5,888 | 3,072 | 48% | 91 |
| 1907 | 5,812 | 3,247 | 44% | 228 |
| 1908 | 5,676 | 3,135 | 45% | 636 |
| 1909 | 5,608 | 2,877 | 49% | 954 |
| 1910 | 5,498 | 2,862 | 48% | 1,329 |
| 1911 | 5,413 | 2,571 | 52% | 1,475 |
| 1912 | 5 437 | 2,272 | 58% | 1,833 |