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VITAL STATISTICS.
The estimated population of Willesden at Midsummer, 1940, was 210,686.*
*This population has been calculated on the assumption that the average number of persons per inhabited
house at Midsummer, 1940, was the same as estimated for November, 1935. It is not improbable that the
population is too high, but it was thought desirable to make the records for the inter-censal years on the same basis
as to population. The number of persons registered for food rationing at August, 1941, was approximately 120,500.
This does not include Willesden residents who have become evacuees, or have joined the Services, and certain
others, but these are included for the purposes of this report. In all the circumstances, it is probable that the
population of Willesden is approximately 200,000.
2,315 live births were registered during 1940, giving a birth rate of 10.99 per 1,000 of the
population as against 13.09 in 1939. 85 still births were registered, giving a still birth rate of 35.42
per 1,000 total live and still births.
2,137 deaths were registered in 1940, giving a death rate of 10.14 per 1,000 of the population.
The 2,137 deaths include 236 deaths of civilians due to operations of war. Excluding these the death
rate of 10.14 becomes 9.02. These figures compare with a total number of deaths of 1,831 and a
death rate of 8.75 in 1939.
The infantile mortality rate for the year 1940 was 51.84 per 1,000 births. 120 children under
one year of age died in 1940.
CANCER.
There were 294 deaths of Willesden residents from Cancer in 1940 as compared with 299
in 1939.
The two Municipal Cancer Clinics were continued throughout the year. 14 new patients
attended these Clinics and the total attendances were 23.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the year 1940 1,170 cases of infectious disease were notified as compared with 1,936
in the previous year.
The following table gives the number of notifications of certain diseases included in the above
total of 1,170 together with the corresponding figures for 1939:—

The fall in Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria which occurred in the autumn of 1939 with the
outbreak of war has continued up to the time of writing. Not only Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria but
all infectious disease was notably low during 1940 with the exception of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis.
Enteric Fever.—Six cases were notified as Typhoid or Para-typhoid Fever during 1940
as against 3 in 1939, 11 in 1938, 10 in 1937, 10 in 1936, 10 in 1935, 7 in 1934 and 13 in 1933. All
6 cases were removed to hospital—4 to the Willesden Municipal Hospital and 2 to London hospitals.
Of the 4 cases removed to the Willesden Municipal Hospital 2 were diagnosed as Para-typhoid Fever
and recovered ; 1 was diagnosed as Enteritis and recovered, and 1 was diagnosed as Pleurisy with
effusion and was transferred to the Central Middlesex County Hospital. One case removed to a
London hospital was notified from there as a case of Para-typhoid Fever B. No further details are
known. The other case removed to a London hospital was operated on for removal of 2 large gallstones
and gall bladder. The patient died and the notification stated that typhoid bacilli had been
found in a bile culture. No deaths from Typhoid or Para-typhoid Fever were recorded during the year.
Malaria.—One case of Malaria was notified during 1940. The patient was an inmate of an
emergency hospital at Epsom, and Malaria was induced for therapeutic purposes.
Infectious Diseases of the Central Nervous System. Poliomyelitis and Polioencephalitis,
Cerebro-Spinal Fever and Encephalitis Lethargica.—38 cases of these diseases
were notified in 1940 as against 18 in 1939, 24 in 1938, 22 in 1937 and 14 in 1936. Seven proved
fatal, giving a fatality rate of 18 per cent, of notified cases. 35 cases were notified as Cerebro-Spinal
Fever. Of these 35 cases 4 were found in hospital not to be suffering from Cerebro-Spinal Fever. One
of these 4 died, the death being certified after post-mortem as due to Tuberculous Meningitis and
Miliary Tuberculosis.