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DEATHS FROM OTHER CAUSES
As the infectious diseases which formerly took such
a heavy toll of human life are being conquered, non-infectious
complaints assume greater public health prominence
and demand more research as to their cause and prevention.
Coronary disease and angina again formed the biggest single
cause of death - 225 males and 116 females. There has been
a marked increase during the past ten years; the figure
for males (225) may be compared with that recorded in 1952
(154), and that for females (116) with 89 in the earlier
year. More than a third of the male deaths were in persons
aged 45 and 65 years. The high incidence of degenerative
heart complaints in the middle years of life falls heavily
on the professional and business groups; in old age the
sex differences are not so marked. This seems to be another
legacy of civilisation. Much more needs to be learned about
its causes, but it appears that dietary factors, heavy
smoking, tension, and sedentary work with too little exercise
may all be implicated. Good, healthy living is more important
than ever when middle age is approached.
Cancer of the lung and bronchus. The deaths among males
from cancer of the lung has also increased - from 80 in
1954(62 in 1951) to 105. Female deaths from this condition
(16) are very much less, and show only a slight increase
since 1954 when the number was 13. These figures focus
attention again on the association between cigarette smoking
and malignant disease of the lung and bronchus.
Bronchitis also affects men more than women (in 1961 there
were 119 male and 43 female deaths), it also causes a great
deal of chronic sickness, disablement and absence from work.
It is significant that abroad it is known as 'The English
disease', a reminder of the very high death rate here compared
with that in other countries. Whilst heavy smoking aggravates
bronchitis, and probably helps to bring it about in the
first place, atmospheric pollution is the most important
factor. The need to cleanse the atmosphere with all speed
is imperative if the amount of ill-health and the number
of deaths from bronchitis is to be reduced to a level
comparable with that of other more fortunate countries.
Snoke control areas are now being established in the Borough
as quickly as possible, but the success of the drive for
clean air depends on full co-operation by the public. Already
there is a welcome improvement in this direction.