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
St Mary (Islington) 1892
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington, Parish of St. Mary ]
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98
There were 5,685 deaths registered, of which 2,804 were males
and 2,881 females. The annual death rate was 17.52 per 1,000 of the
estimated population.
These deaths were distributed to the sub-districts in the following manner:
| Deaths, 1892. | Death-rate, 1892. | |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Holloway | 2,053 | 22.01 |
| South West Islington | 1,667 | 15.70 |
| South East Islington | 1,054 | 16.28 |
| Highbury | 911 | 15.12 |
| Totals | 5,685 | 17.52 |
In looking at these deaths, and after every allowance has been made
for the number of persons who died in hospitals outside the districts, it
must be admitted that the returns are, with one exception, of a most
satisfactory character, and will compare well with the annual deathrate
of London, and also with the rates in the large towns, as the
following figures attest:—
| Persons to an acre. | Population. | Death-rate. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 57.1 | 4,263,294 | 20.6 |
| Birmingham | 39.1 | 483,520 | 20.4 |
| Liverpool | 98.6 | 513,760 | 24.7 |
| Manchester | 40.0 | 510,998 | 23.8 |
| Leeds | 17.4 | 375,540 | 19.8 |
| Sheffield | 16.8 | 329,585 | 20.8 |
| The 33 large towns | 34.8 | 10,188,449 | 20.7 |
| Islington | 105.6 | 324,339 | 17.5 |
From these figures it will be perceived that although Islington is
more densely inhabited than any of the 33 large towns, including those not
specially mentioned above, yet its death-rate is lower than that of any
community with a population equal to, or greater, than itself. Indeed,
so far as the great towns are concerned, there is only one with a deathrate
so low, and there, while the death-rate is only 15.8, yet the
population is only 106,152, and the density only 11.8 persons per acre.
Density is, of course, a great factor in mortality, and it is therefore all
the more pleasing to find that the mortality returns are of so satisfactory
a character.