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
Walthamstow 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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24
DEATHS AND DEATH-RATES.
ACCORDING TO WARDS.
The deaths credited to the various Wards are those transmitted by
the Registrars and are correct; but the populations upon which the
death-rates are made out are assumed, and at best but approximate, so
that inferences drawn for comparisons of one Ward with another must
be taken with reservation.
The deaths and death-rates for 1908 and the death-rates for previous years are as follows:—
| St. James St. | High St. | Hoe St. | Wood St. | Northern. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | , 1908 | 23,500 | 21,500 | 24,000 | 17,500 | 37,000 |
| Deaths, | 33 | 30.8 | 212 | 264 | 173 | 301 |
| Death.rate | 33 | 13.1 | 9.8 | 11 | 9.9 | 8.1 |
| „ | 1907 | 14.3 | 10.8 | 9.9 | 12.8 | 9 |
| „ | 1906 | 12.9 | 11.7 | 11 | 11.7 | 10.8 |
| „ | 1905 | 12.7 | 11.4 | 9.8 | 10.2 | 9.3 |
| „ | 1904 | 13.85 | 12 | 10.6 | 11.08 | 13.45 |
| „ | 1901 | 15.03 | 12.8 | 11.5 | 12.05 | 15.27 |
| (Census year.) | ||||||
The death-rates of High Street and Wood Street Wards are similar,
and show a decrease of 3 per 1,000 compared with Census year, and
their birth-rates show a decrease of 5 per 1,000. The death-rate of Hoe
Street is .5 and its birth.rate 4-6 lower than in Census year. St. James
Street Ward's birth and death rates have fallen about an equal amount,
while those of the Northern Ward show a decrease of 9 in the birth and
7 in the death.rate per 1,000.
St. James Street, High Street, and Wood Street Wards show a fall in
their death-rates compared with Census year of practically half of that
noticed in their birth-rates.
Hoe Street, while showing a considerable fall in its birth-rate from 28
to 23.4, has practically the same death-rate as in 1901. The explanation
of this is no doubt in the character of the population. The Ward
contains the well.to.do portion of our people, and these more than the
poor fear large families and restrict natality, while the good conditions
favouring a low death.rate have been operative for years, and capable of
but little improvement.