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VITAL STATISTICS OF LONDON
1128 the books of the Ministry. The record cards dealing with casualties from all the theatres of war had been collected, and reached in number no less than 30 millions. Each week he received 794,000 letters. In a department of this size occasional mistakes must inevitably occur. In one town 100,000 cases might be successfully and efficiently dealt with and no complaint arise, but if one slip should occur in dealing with all that number, the Minister’s life was made not worth living. The functions of the Ministry were to restore the pensioner and to reinstate him in the social and industrial life of the country. They had 90 hospitals, controlled 14,000 beds in their own institutions and 10,000 beds in civil hospitals, and there were at present 158,000 pensioners under treatment for whom the Ministry defrayed the cost. By means of treatment and training in convalescent centres they were trying to restore these men as fit units to the field or factory. After previous wars disabled men were too often left as derelicts on the ocean of life. They served their
country in its hour of need and returned to find their families pauperised, and 6d. a day their reward. He refused to accept the idea that the Ministry of Pensions should be run as a business institution. A business man could do what he liked with his own money. He could make bargains and cut losses. but that would not do with the trustees of public funds, who had to hold the balance between the interests of the taxpayer, and a just and generous treatment of those who had suffered in the service of the nation. Pension Issue Office for Scotland. An office in Edinburgh has now been opened for the issue of pensions to Scottish soldiers. The change of administration from London to Edinburgh will take place gradually, names being transferred in alphabetical order. Soldiers only are to be dealt with for the present, while naval and air force cases will be transferred early next year. The cases of widows and dependents are meantime to be administered from London. and the
highest in Tslington, Finsbury, Shoreditch. Bermondsey, Battersea, and Greenwich. The prevalence of enteric fever was about 25 per cent. less than in the preceding month ; of the 33 cases notified during the four weeks ended Oct. 29th, 6 belonged to St. Pancras, and 3 to each of the IN the accompanying table will be found summarised boroughs of Kensington, Chelsea, Hackney, and Camberwell. statistics relating to sickness and mortality in the City of There were 28 cases of enteric fever under treatment in the London and in each of the metropolitan boroughs. With Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals at the end of the month, regard to the notified cases of infectious disease it appears against 27, 32, and 37 at the end of the three preceding that the number of persons reported to be suffering from months ; the weekly admissions averaged 4, against 5, 5. and one or other of the ten diseases notified in the table was equal 7 in the three preceding months. The prevalence of scarlet to an annual rate of 19-3 per 1000 of the population, estimated fever again showed a marked increase-40 per cent.-over at 4,531,971persons in the middle of 1920 ; in the three the preceding month, and was considerably higher than in preceding months the rates had been 10-3, 8-5, and 14.0 per any month of the present, or the three preceding years ; in 1000. Among the metropolitan boroughs the lowest rates the month of October, 1918 (five weeks), the notified cases from these diseases were recorded in Kensington, Chelsea, of scarlet fever number 1031, in 1910 (five weeks) 2179, in the City of London, Lambeth, Wandsworth, and 1920 (four weeks) 3700, as against 4625 in the four weeks of
VITAL STATISTICS OF LONDON DURING OCTOBER, 1921.
Lewisham ;
ANALYSIS OF SICKNESS AND MORTALITY STATISTICS IN LONDON DURING OCTOBER, 1921.
(Specially compiled for
*
THE
LANCET.)
Including membranous croup.
1129 last month. This disease was proportionally most prevalent in St. Pancras, Islington, Finsbury, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green. Poplar, Battersea, and Greenwich.The Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals contained 6154 scarlet fever patients at the end of the month, against 3722, 3408, and 4847 at the Audi alteram partem." end of the three preceding months ;the weekly admissions averaged 1000, against 567, 467, and 840 in the three preceding months. Diphtheria also was considerably more THE EDUCATION OF DEAF CHILDREN. prevalent-40 per cent.-than in September, and was higher than in any month of this year, or the three preceding To the Editor of THE LANCET. years; 1803 cases were notified during the month (four SIR,-Mr. A. J. Story’s letter in your issue of weeks), against 937 in October, 1918 (five weeks), 1169 in October, 1919 (five weeks), and 1419 in October, 1920 Nov. 12th opens up a question that has long wanted (four weeks). The greatest proportional prevalence of thisventilating, and never more so than at the present disease occurred in Hampstead, Finsbury, Shoreditch..time. I, who have a knowledge of deaf Stepney, Bermondsey, Battersea, and Greenwich. The childrenPerhaps and the methods of their education based number of diphtheria patients under treatment in the ’ Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals, which had been 1969, upon some 14 years of unceasing work among them, 1709, and 2031 at the end of the three preceding months,may be permitted to speak plainly upon it. further rose to 2777 at the end of October ;the weekly admisI would first express my appreciation of those who sions averaged 445, against 250, 209, and 322 in the three cheerfully devote themselves to the instruction of deaf preceding months. Erysipelas was proportionally most children, a work the most arduous and exacting in prevalent in Holborn, Finsbury, Bethnal Green, and Ber- the teaching profession and which is followed with a mondsey. Of the 5 cases of poliomyelitis, &c., 2 belonged to steadfastness of which the reward lies only in results. Deptford, 2 to Lewisham, and 1 to Greenwich.in the three Mr. out that teachers of the deaf " would months the notified cases numbered Story points and 10 9, 13, preceding respectively. Three cases of encephalitis lethargica were welcome with open arms anything that would give notified during the month, against 9, 5, and in the three their pupils even a serviceable modicum of hearing preceding months. The notified cases of cerebro-spinal ability." This I can cordially endorse, for I have fever numbered 3, against 7, 9, and 5 in the three preceding found them ever ready to cooperate with the doctor months. The 27 cases of puerperal fever included 3 in and to him to the utmost from their stores of help Fulham. 3 in Islington, and 2 each in Paddington, Poplar, he will let them do so. Sufferers experience, provided and Lewisham. Battersea, Wandsworth, The mortality statistics in the table relate to the deaths from deafness are ever upon the look-out for some of civilians actually belonging to the several boroughs, the heaven-sent miracle which will restore to them the deaths occurring in institutions having been distributed sense they lack. They are consequently always eager among the boroughs in which the deceased persons had to kneel in flocks, sublimely credulous, at the feet previously resided. During the four weeks ended Oct. 29th, of anyone who professes to have discovered a short the deaths of 3913 London residents were registered, equal and easy road to the renewal of hearing. The little to an annual rate of 11-3 per 1000 ; in the three preceding to whom they kneel have, most of them, clay gods months the rates had been 9-8, 10-6, and 10-9 per 1000. The death-rates ranged from 8-9 in Wandsworth, 9-1 in feet. The persons who assert this ability to restore Fulham. 9-6 in Stoke Newington, in Camberwell, and in the " snows of yester year " do so from one of two Lewisham, and 9.8 in Woolwich, to 13-0 in Bethnal Green, motives-deliberate fraud or complete ignorance. Of 13.4 in Shoreditch and in Stepney, 13.5 in Holborn, 14-1 in the fraudulent I do not intend to speak ; I have dealt Chelsea, and 14.8 in Finsbury. The 3913 deaths from all with such impostors at other times and in other causes included 448 which were referred to the principal the Court of King’s Bench. They infectious diseases ; of these, 11 deaths resulted from places, including continue to batten upon human infirmity and will enteric fever, 10 from measles, 20from scarlet fever, 33from so long as the press, intent upon giving the credulity 99 and from diarrhcea from 275 diphtheria, whooping-cough, o public " What it warnts" rather than what it needs, and enteritis among children under 2 years of age. No death from any of these diseases was recorded in the City of will publish their advertisements. London. Among the metropolitan boroughs the lowest But those who profess to restore hearing from a death-rates from these diseases were recorded in Chelsea, complete ignorance of the true conditions with which St. llarylebone, Holborn, Deptford, Lewisham, and Woolthey have to deal stand upon an entirely different wich; and the highest in Finsbury, Shoreditch, Bethnal footing. I can say, with my friends Mr. Story and Green, Stepney, Poplar, and Bermondsey. The 11 fatal Dr. Kerr Love, that I have never known a single deaf cases of enteric fever exceeded the average in the correspondevery ing period of the five preceding years by 4 ;of these deaths child Iin schools to recover hearing power. But see children, originally believed to be totally 3 belonged to Lewisham and 2 to Bermondsey.. The 10 day deaths from measles were but half the average ;of these deaf, develop a certain amount of hearing as education 3 belonged to St. Pancras and 3 to Poplar. The 20 fatal progresses, which is quite another matter. This cases of scarlet fever were 8 in excess of the average ; of is neither a new nor a restored hearhearing these, 3 belonged to each of the boroughs of Islington, ing. It icos there all the time, unrecognised, unused. Hackney, and Stepney, and 2 each to Hammersmith, The children had no conception of the meaning of the Bermondsey, and Camberwell. The 33 deaths from whoop- sounds they heard, no means of asking what they ing-cough were 17 above the average ;of these, 5 belonged to Wandsworth and 3 to Camberwell. The 99 fatal cases meant. Their hearing, too small to be of use in their of diphtheria exceeded the average by 40 ; this disease was physiological education, remained, so to speak, latent, proportionally most fatal in Hampstead, Stoke Newington, until the gradual acquisition of language by education Finsbury, Shoreditch, Stepney, and Greenwich. The under the oral system brought appreciation of it to 275 deaths from infantile diarrhoea exceeded the average its These are the children which, getting by 6-1; the greatest proportional mortality from this intopossessor. the hands of someone ignorant of the real facts, disease occurred in Hammersmith, Islington, Shoreditch, Such children make no Bethnal Green, Southwark, and Bermondsey. The will respond to education. aggregate mortality in London during October from response to tests when first examined, and to decide these principal infectious diseases was 38 per cent. above whether they have or have not any residual hearing the average. is often a matter of great difficulty. Once education The deaths from influenza registered in London during is begun and the child is watched and tested repeatedly, the four weeks ended Oct. 29th numbered 40, against 16, 9, some slight hearing-it may be anything from mere and 21 in the three preceding months, and 22, 18, 1721, 65, and 21 in the corresponding periods of the five preceding perception of sound to complete vowel hearing as
Correspondence. "
developed
described by Mr. Story-will gradually unfold as teaching progresses and the mind is awakened to appreciation. Every teacher of the deaf knows this ; TREATMENT OF VENEREAL DISEASES IN LONDON.- it is his business and he makes every possible use of it. The Minister of Health and the Councils concerned years.
have consented to
County
an arrangement under which the London County Council will be able, within defined limits, to make necessary mo.difications in its scheme for the diagnosis and treatment of venereal diseases, without the delay, previously unavoidable, in obtaining the consent of all the participating authorities to any such modification.
of the effect of education may be noticed repeatedly how boys and amount of residual hearing, will, " as it were. blossom out " within a few months of their transference (at 12or 13 years old) from the elementary to the secondary school. Of course, a
Furthermore,
some
delayed, and I have girls with a limited
country in its hour of need and returned to find their families pauperised, and 6d. a day their reward. He refused to accept the idea that the Ministry of Pensions should be run as a business institution. A business man could do what he liked with his own money. He could make bargains and cut losses. but that would not do with the trustees of public funds, who had to hold the balance between the interests of the taxpayer, and a just and generous treatment of those who had suffered in the service of the nation. Pension Issue Office for Scotland. An office in Edinburgh has now been opened for the issue of pensions to Scottish soldiers. The change of administration from London to Edinburgh will take place gradually, names being transferred in alphabetical order. Soldiers only are to be dealt with for the present, while naval and air force cases will be transferred early next year. The cases of widows and dependents are meantime to be administered from London. and the
highest in Tslington, Finsbury, Shoreditch. Bermondsey, Battersea, and Greenwich. The prevalence of enteric fever was about 25 per cent. less than in the preceding month ; of the 33 cases notified during the four weeks ended Oct. 29th, 6 belonged to St. Pancras, and 3 to each of the IN the accompanying table will be found summarised boroughs of Kensington, Chelsea, Hackney, and Camberwell. statistics relating to sickness and mortality in the City of There were 28 cases of enteric fever under treatment in the London and in each of the metropolitan boroughs. With Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals at the end of the month, regard to the notified cases of infectious disease it appears against 27, 32, and 37 at the end of the three preceding that the number of persons reported to be suffering from months ; the weekly admissions averaged 4, against 5, 5. and one or other of the ten diseases notified in the table was equal 7 in the three preceding months. The prevalence of scarlet to an annual rate of 19-3 per 1000 of the population, estimated fever again showed a marked increase-40 per cent.-over at 4,531,971persons in the middle of 1920 ; in the three the preceding month, and was considerably higher than in preceding months the rates had been 10-3, 8-5, and 14.0 per any month of the present, or the three preceding years ; in 1000. Among the metropolitan boroughs the lowest rates the month of October, 1918 (five weeks), the notified cases from these diseases were recorded in Kensington, Chelsea, of scarlet fever number 1031, in 1910 (five weeks) 2179, in the City of London, Lambeth, Wandsworth, and 1920 (four weeks) 3700, as against 4625 in the four weeks of
VITAL STATISTICS OF LONDON DURING OCTOBER, 1921.
Lewisham ;
ANALYSIS OF SICKNESS AND MORTALITY STATISTICS IN LONDON DURING OCTOBER, 1921.
(Specially compiled for
*
THE
LANCET.)
Including membranous croup.
1129 last month. This disease was proportionally most prevalent in St. Pancras, Islington, Finsbury, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green. Poplar, Battersea, and Greenwich.The Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals contained 6154 scarlet fever patients at the end of the month, against 3722, 3408, and 4847 at the Audi alteram partem." end of the three preceding months ;the weekly admissions averaged 1000, against 567, 467, and 840 in the three preceding months. Diphtheria also was considerably more THE EDUCATION OF DEAF CHILDREN. prevalent-40 per cent.-than in September, and was higher than in any month of this year, or the three preceding To the Editor of THE LANCET. years; 1803 cases were notified during the month (four SIR,-Mr. A. J. Story’s letter in your issue of weeks), against 937 in October, 1918 (five weeks), 1169 in October, 1919 (five weeks), and 1419 in October, 1920 Nov. 12th opens up a question that has long wanted (four weeks). The greatest proportional prevalence of thisventilating, and never more so than at the present disease occurred in Hampstead, Finsbury, Shoreditch..time. I, who have a knowledge of deaf Stepney, Bermondsey, Battersea, and Greenwich. The childrenPerhaps and the methods of their education based number of diphtheria patients under treatment in the ’ Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals, which had been 1969, upon some 14 years of unceasing work among them, 1709, and 2031 at the end of the three preceding months,may be permitted to speak plainly upon it. further rose to 2777 at the end of October ;the weekly admisI would first express my appreciation of those who sions averaged 445, against 250, 209, and 322 in the three cheerfully devote themselves to the instruction of deaf preceding months. Erysipelas was proportionally most children, a work the most arduous and exacting in prevalent in Holborn, Finsbury, Bethnal Green, and Ber- the teaching profession and which is followed with a mondsey. Of the 5 cases of poliomyelitis, &c., 2 belonged to steadfastness of which the reward lies only in results. Deptford, 2 to Lewisham, and 1 to Greenwich.in the three Mr. out that teachers of the deaf " would months the notified cases numbered Story points and 10 9, 13, preceding respectively. Three cases of encephalitis lethargica were welcome with open arms anything that would give notified during the month, against 9, 5, and in the three their pupils even a serviceable modicum of hearing preceding months. The notified cases of cerebro-spinal ability." This I can cordially endorse, for I have fever numbered 3, against 7, 9, and 5 in the three preceding found them ever ready to cooperate with the doctor months. The 27 cases of puerperal fever included 3 in and to him to the utmost from their stores of help Fulham. 3 in Islington, and 2 each in Paddington, Poplar, he will let them do so. Sufferers experience, provided and Lewisham. Battersea, Wandsworth, The mortality statistics in the table relate to the deaths from deafness are ever upon the look-out for some of civilians actually belonging to the several boroughs, the heaven-sent miracle which will restore to them the deaths occurring in institutions having been distributed sense they lack. They are consequently always eager among the boroughs in which the deceased persons had to kneel in flocks, sublimely credulous, at the feet previously resided. During the four weeks ended Oct. 29th, of anyone who professes to have discovered a short the deaths of 3913 London residents were registered, equal and easy road to the renewal of hearing. The little to an annual rate of 11-3 per 1000 ; in the three preceding to whom they kneel have, most of them, clay gods months the rates had been 9-8, 10-6, and 10-9 per 1000. The death-rates ranged from 8-9 in Wandsworth, 9-1 in feet. The persons who assert this ability to restore Fulham. 9-6 in Stoke Newington, in Camberwell, and in the " snows of yester year " do so from one of two Lewisham, and 9.8 in Woolwich, to 13-0 in Bethnal Green, motives-deliberate fraud or complete ignorance. Of 13.4 in Shoreditch and in Stepney, 13.5 in Holborn, 14-1 in the fraudulent I do not intend to speak ; I have dealt Chelsea, and 14.8 in Finsbury. The 3913 deaths from all with such impostors at other times and in other causes included 448 which were referred to the principal the Court of King’s Bench. They infectious diseases ; of these, 11 deaths resulted from places, including continue to batten upon human infirmity and will enteric fever, 10 from measles, 20from scarlet fever, 33from so long as the press, intent upon giving the credulity 99 and from diarrhcea from 275 diphtheria, whooping-cough, o public " What it warnts" rather than what it needs, and enteritis among children under 2 years of age. No death from any of these diseases was recorded in the City of will publish their advertisements. London. Among the metropolitan boroughs the lowest But those who profess to restore hearing from a death-rates from these diseases were recorded in Chelsea, complete ignorance of the true conditions with which St. llarylebone, Holborn, Deptford, Lewisham, and Woolthey have to deal stand upon an entirely different wich; and the highest in Finsbury, Shoreditch, Bethnal footing. I can say, with my friends Mr. Story and Green, Stepney, Poplar, and Bermondsey. The 11 fatal Dr. Kerr Love, that I have never known a single deaf cases of enteric fever exceeded the average in the correspondevery ing period of the five preceding years by 4 ;of these deaths child Iin schools to recover hearing power. But see children, originally believed to be totally 3 belonged to Lewisham and 2 to Bermondsey.. The 10 day deaths from measles were but half the average ;of these deaf, develop a certain amount of hearing as education 3 belonged to St. Pancras and 3 to Poplar. The 20 fatal progresses, which is quite another matter. This cases of scarlet fever were 8 in excess of the average ; of is neither a new nor a restored hearhearing these, 3 belonged to each of the boroughs of Islington, ing. It icos there all the time, unrecognised, unused. Hackney, and Stepney, and 2 each to Hammersmith, The children had no conception of the meaning of the Bermondsey, and Camberwell. The 33 deaths from whoop- sounds they heard, no means of asking what they ing-cough were 17 above the average ;of these, 5 belonged to Wandsworth and 3 to Camberwell. The 99 fatal cases meant. Their hearing, too small to be of use in their of diphtheria exceeded the average by 40 ; this disease was physiological education, remained, so to speak, latent, proportionally most fatal in Hampstead, Stoke Newington, until the gradual acquisition of language by education Finsbury, Shoreditch, Stepney, and Greenwich. The under the oral system brought appreciation of it to 275 deaths from infantile diarrhoea exceeded the average its These are the children which, getting by 6-1; the greatest proportional mortality from this intopossessor. the hands of someone ignorant of the real facts, disease occurred in Hammersmith, Islington, Shoreditch, Such children make no Bethnal Green, Southwark, and Bermondsey. The will respond to education. aggregate mortality in London during October from response to tests when first examined, and to decide these principal infectious diseases was 38 per cent. above whether they have or have not any residual hearing the average. is often a matter of great difficulty. Once education The deaths from influenza registered in London during is begun and the child is watched and tested repeatedly, the four weeks ended Oct. 29th numbered 40, against 16, 9, some slight hearing-it may be anything from mere and 21 in the three preceding months, and 22, 18, 1721, 65, and 21 in the corresponding periods of the five preceding perception of sound to complete vowel hearing as
Correspondence. "
developed
described by Mr. Story-will gradually unfold as teaching progresses and the mind is awakened to appreciation. Every teacher of the deaf knows this ; TREATMENT OF VENEREAL DISEASES IN LONDON.- it is his business and he makes every possible use of it. The Minister of Health and the Councils concerned years.
have consented to
County
an arrangement under which the London County Council will be able, within defined limits, to make necessary mo.difications in its scheme for the diagnosis and treatment of venereal diseases, without the delay, previously unavoidable, in obtaining the consent of all the participating authorities to any such modification.
of the effect of education may be noticed repeatedly how boys and amount of residual hearing, will, " as it were. blossom out " within a few months of their transference (at 12or 13 years old) from the elementary to the secondary school. Of course, a
Furthermore,
some
delayed, and I have girls with a limited