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GENERAL DEATH RATE. The death rate for 1950 was 10.4
which was the same as the previous year. The rate for
London was 11.8 and that for England and Wales was 11.6.
INFANT DEATH RATE. The number of deaths of children
under twelve months for every thousand live births was 28
for 1950, which was the second lowest rate recorded in the
borough. The lowest record of 24 infant deaths for every
thousand live births was registered in 1949.
The infant death rate for 1950 for London was 26.3 and
for England and Wales was 29.8,
MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE. There were unfortunately
five maternal deaths recorded in 1950, compared with none
for the previous year.
The maternal mortality rate was 1.79 which compares
with a rate of 0.86 for England and Wales. (The figure for
London is not yet available.)
TUBERCULOSIS DEATH RATE. Whilst the number of cases
of tuberculosis recorded in the notification register as
residing in Kensington increased during 1950 from 1,147 at
the 1st January to 1,246 at the 31st December, the death rate
(33) from all forms of tuberculosis for the year was the
lowest recorded in the borough.
New cases notified for the first time numbered 278
in 1950 compared with 266 in 1949 and 258 in 1948.
In this connection, it is of interest that arrangements
were made, on three occasions, to operate a Mass X-ray
unit in the borough. Over 6,500 persons were examined, of
whom just over were referred for further examination.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES. There was no major outbreak of
infectious disease in the borough during 1950; the total
number of notifications received was 1,716 compared with
1,923 in 1949. These figures represent a reduction of over
10%.
The 1949 outbreak of poliomyelitis (47) cases was not
repeated in 1950, only thirteen cases were notified. The
incidence of diphtheria was again limited to two cases in
1950, which was the same number occurring the previous
year, the lowest record in the borough. Both the cases
were of persons who had never been immunised against the
disease.
From the foregoing observations it will be seen that
the public health of the borough remained satisfactory
during 1950.
— OOO'
VITAL STATISTICS
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The table set out on the next two pages gives the
important vital statistics for 1950, together with
comparative figures for the previous seven years.