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
Coulsdon and Purley 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Coulsdon]
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VITAL STATISTICS
The following table gives the average population, birth, death,
maternal and other important mortality rates for the quinquennial
periods 1920-1954 together with the actual figures for 1958 and
TABLE I
| Rates per 1,000 population. | 1920-1924. | 1925-1929. | 1930-1934. | 1935-1939. | 1940-1944. | 1945-1949. | 1950-1954. | 1958. | 1959. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth rate | 13.5 | 12.9 | 11.6 | 12.8 | 15.2 | 15.2 | 12.0 | 14.3 | 14.9 |
| Percentage illegitimate | 3.4% | 3.7% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Stillbirth rate | — | — | — | 0.43 | 0.48 | 0.40 | 0.24 | 018 | 0.30 |
| Death rate | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 11.4 | 9.7 | 12.1 | 12.8 | 13.3 |
| Cancer death rate | 0.96 | 1.15 | 1.35 | 1.19 | 1.70 | 1.75 | 2.02 | 1.80 | 2.04 |
| Tuberculosis death rate (per 100,000 population) | 57 | 36 | 38 | 35 | 48 | 36 | 25 | 11 | 11 |
| Violence including Suicide | 0.44 | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.46 | 0.82 | 0.37 | 046 | 0.55 | 0.59 |
| Maternal mortality rate per 1,000 live and still births | 2.08 | 2.66 | 3.21 | 2.27 | 2.10 | 1.12 | 1.01 | 1.00 | 0.94 |
| Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 registered births) | 28 | 38 | 32 | 38 | 40 | 26 | 21 | 17 | 18 |
| Neo-natal mortality rate | – | – | – | 26 | 28 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 11 |
| Estimated population | 21,351 | 28,950 | 41,616 | 53,084 | 49,880 | 60,610 | 64,466 | 68,580 | 69,320 |
BIRTHS
During the year 1959, 1,039 births were registered as occurring
in the District, of which 520 were male and 519 female, compared
with 980 in 1958. It will be seen by reference to the preceding
table that this is equal to an annual birth rate of 14.9 per 1,000
population, as compared with 14.3 in 1958.
If this rate is corrected in accordance with the RegistrarGeneral's
assessment of the atypical constitution of the population
it becomes 16.5 and this is comparable with the birth rate for
England and Wales which was 16.5.
Illegitimacy.—In 1959, of the births registered, 34 were illegitimate
(21 males and 13 females), this being 2 more than in the preceding
year.
Stillbirths.—The number of still-births registered during 1959
was 21 (11 males and 10 females), which is 8 more than last year.
Two of the still-births were in respect of illegitimate children. The
local still-birth rate was 19.8 per thousand live and still births.
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