View report page

NON-INFECTIVE DISEASES
The total number of deaths from cancer and malignant disease
was 805 the number of males being 414 and females 391. The deathrate
was 2.43 per 1,000. The number of deaths in 1952 was 91
more than in 1951.
Deaths from disease of the heart and circulatory system were
1,504, compared with 1,564 in 1951. Of these deaths 1,235 were of
persons of 65 years of age and above.
There were 577 deaths from diseases of the respiratory system
compared with 572 in 1951. The number from bronchitis was
365 compared with 375 in 1951, and from pneumonia (all forms),
180 compared with 161 in 1951. Further particulars relative to
pneumonia are given on page 17.
One hundred and fourteen deaths were due to violence, 16 of
them being due to motor accidents, 34 to suicide and 64 to other
forms of violence.
INVESTIGATION INTO DEATHS DUE TO FOG
One hundred and sixty-seven inhabitants of the Borough of
Wandsworth died during the week ending 13th December, 1952.
The figure for the corresponding week in the previous year was 39.
Of the 167 deaths, 86 were attributed to lung disease and 52 to heart
disease; bronchitis caused the largest number of deaths, that is 56,
17 more than the total number of deaths from all causes during the
corresponding week in the preceding year.
I arranged for a detailed investigation to be carried out into the
causes of deaths, a home visit being paid by two Sanitary Inspectors
in all cases in which a post-mortem had been ordered by the Coroner,
and the findings being reviewed in detail by the Deputy Medical
Officer of Health. The results of this enquiry were referred to the
medical officers of the Ministry of Health.
This Council has been a member of the London and Home
Counties Smoke Abatement Advisory Council since 1939, when
the Chairman of the Public Health Committee was appointed to
be its representative. The question of membership of this body
and also of the National Smoke Abatement Society, of which the
Council was a member between 1937 and 1950, is at present under
consideration by the Public Health Committee, as are also other
means of investigating and combating atmospheric pollution.
CERTIFICATES OF VACCINATION
AND INOCULATION
Three hundred and forty requests were received from residents in
the Borough for a certificate of vaccination or inoculation to be
authenticated for the purpose of travel abroad. The signature of the
person issuing the certificate was verified in each case as that of a
registered medical practitioner practising in Wandsworth and the
certificate was endorsed accordingly.
19