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
Heston and Isleworth 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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by Health Visitors and Sanitary Inspectors does not support the suggestion contained in these figures
that overcrowding to-day is less prevalent than in 1931 and no more than in 1939. In the absence
of a census or other detailed survey the figures of population and houses must be accepted with reserve.
LIVE BIRTHS.—The number of live births and the birth rates per 1,000 population of the Borough and England and Wales for 1939-46 are shown in the following table:—
| Year | Legitimate | Illegitimate | Total Births | Birth Rate | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | F | Total | M | F | Total | H. and I. | E.andW. | ||
| 1939 | 778 | 702 | 1,480 | 21 | 21 | 42 | 1,522 | 14.9 | 15.0 |
| 1940 | 641 | 653 | 1,294 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 1,334 | 13.7 | 14.6 |
| 1941 | 586 | 579 | 1,165 | 28 | 24 | 52 | 1,217 | 13.0 | 14.2 |
| 1942 | 679 | 662 | 1,341 | 27 | 32 | 59 | 1,400 | 14.6 | 15.8 |
| 1943 | 748 | 721 | 1,469 | 47 | 43 | 90 | 1,559 | 16.3 | 16.5 |
| 1944 | 737 | 700 | 1,437 | 37 | 48 | 85 | 1,522 | 16.5 | 17.6 |
| 1945 | 712 | 655 | 1,367 | 53 | 58 | 111 | 1,478 | 15.5 | 16.1 |
| 1946 | 876 | 815 | 1,691 | 62 | 52 | 114 | 1,805 | 17.3 | 19.1 |
The birth rate of 13.0 in 1941 is the lowest in the records of the Borough. The continuing increase in
the number of illegitimate births is disquieting.
STILLBIRTHS.—The number of stillbirths and the proportion per 1,000 total (live and still) births are shown below:—
| No. | Rate per 1,000 total births. | No. | Rate per 1,000 total births. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | 44 | 26 | 1943 | 41 | 26 |
| 1940 | 34 | 25 | 1944 | 34 | 22 |
| 1941 | 44 | 35 | 1945 | 39 | 26 |
| 1942 | 47 | 32 | 1946 | 48 | 26 |
Stillbirths comprised 30 per 1,000 of all births during 1934-38 as compared with 26 during 1942-46,
and it is hoped that this saving of potential lives will continue.
DEATHS.—The deaths of residents of the Borough shown in the following table refer only to civilians:—
| Year | Heston and Isleworth | Death Rate England and Wales | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of deaths | Rate per 1,000 population | ||||
| M | F | Total | |||
| 1939 | 447 | 448 | 895 | 8.9 | 12.1 |
| 1940 | 608 | 592 | 1,200 | 12.3 | 14.3 |
| 1941 | 476 | 492 | 968 | 10.3 | 12.9 |
| 1942 | 516 | 454 | 970 | 10.2 | 11.6 |
| 1943 | 514 | 490 | 1,004 | 10.6 | 12.1 |
| 1944 | 543 | 417 | 963 | 10.3 | 11.6 |
| 1945 | 522 | 403 | 925 | 9.7 | 11.4 |
| 1946 | 588 | 500 | 1,088 | 10.4 | 11.5 |
Some indication of the change taking place in the percentage age distribution of deaths is shown below:—
| 1910-14 | 1940-44 | 1945 | 1946 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 21.8 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 4.9 |
| 1 — 4 years | 8.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| 5 — 14 years | 3.8 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 1.1 |
| 15 — 24 years | 3.7 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| 25 — 64 years | 30.8 | 35.2 | 34.1 | 34.0 |
| 65 years and over | 31.5 | 51.0 | 53.6 | 56.5 |
As a result of enemy war operations, 153 (79 male, 74 female) civilian residents of the Borough were
killed or died from injuries.
The chief causes of death during 1939-46 were heart disease (1,981), cancer (1,237), bronchitis
and pneumonia (817), cerebral haemorrhage (645), and tuberculosis (497).
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