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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25
The birth and death.rates of the four Wards would show that the
populations assigned are probable, and that the forces responsible for a
high death.rate in the St. James Street Ward are now as heretofore.
I went fully into these in last year's Report, pointing out its low.lying
position, the density of its population, and the more general poverty of
its people as the main factors.
The death.rate shown for the Northern Ward can hardly be the true
one, and makes me feel that the population assigned is much too high ;
but that the rate is a very favourable one may be inferred from its small
infantile death mortality figure of 82 compared with 100.8 for the whole
district and 123.7 for St. James Street.
The following figures give the total deaths and the deaths of children under 5 years of age from Zymotic or preventable diseases in the five Wards
| St. James St. | High St. | Hoe St. | Wood St. | Northern. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Births | 711 | 660 | 563 | 417 | 1,131 |
| Deaths—Total | 308 | 212 | 264 | 173 | 301 |
| Death.rate | 131 | 9.8 | 11 | 9 9 | 8.1 |
| Deaths under 5 years frorm Zymotic diseases | 30 | 25 | 12 | 12 | 24 |
Percentage of total deaths—
For 1908 9.7 11.7 4.5 7 8
For 1907 17.3 147 9.6 11.8 17.8
For 1906 19.6 15.9 9.5 14.1 21.5
In the Zymotic deaths are included deaths from Diarrhoea proper and
those from Gastritis under 1 year.
These deaths in 1908 are but half those of 1907.
The percentage of Zymotic deaths at ages under 5 years shows a
considerable difference in the various Wards.
Hoe Street has the lowest percentage, and shows that with favourable
climatic conditions and freedom from epidemics in all the Wards, the
good economic conditions prevailing in this Ward assert themselves in
favour of health and life. The character of the population is reflected
more in this rate than in the general death.rate, and no administration
can equalise the difference in mortality associated with poverty and
ignorance as against knowledge and material comforts.