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
Wealdstone 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wealdstone]
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The distribution of deaths according to ages is as follows:
| Under 1 year of age | 28 |
| Over 1 „ and under 5 | 8 |
| „ 5 „ „ 15 | 3 |
| „ 15 „ „ 25 | 1 |
| „ 25 „ „ 65 | 18 |
| „ 65 years | 7 |
INFANT MORTALITY.
The infant mortality rate reaches 109.3 as compared
with 117.3 for last year. This is a decided improvement, but
is yet far too high, as very many of these deaths of infants
under one year of age are due to preventible causes. There
was very little diarrhœa of a serious nature during the summer
months. I believe the large rainfall contributed greatly
to this desirable result by its effect in keeping drains, sewers,
roads, and paths well flushed and cleansed, and also the roads
free from dust, which is a fruitful carrier of disease-spreading
germs. Nine deaths were due to premature birth, 3 to diarrhœa,
and 9 to whooping cough. There were no deaths
amongst infants attributable to measles.
ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
Thirteen deaths were due to the principal zymotic
diseases, being equal to a zymotic death-rate of 1.6 per 1000
living. This exactly corresponds with the rate for last year.
Deaths specified as to causes:— *
From Whooping Cough 9
„ Diphtheria 1
„ Diarrhoea 3
„ Enteritis 3
,, Phthisis 9
„ Other Tubercular diseases 1
,, Cancer 4
„ Bronchitis 4
„ Pneumonia 4
,, Alcholism 2
„ Premature birth 9
„ Heart diseases 2
„ Suicide 1
„ General causes 15