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BIRTH RATE. Although the population of the borough in
1946 was about 25,000 short of the population in 1939, the number
of births in 1946 was 33% higher than the number in 1939. This
increase is creating a marked addition to the work of the maternity
and child welfare staff, which was augmented to meet the position.
Extra infant welfare and ante-natal sessions have been arranged.
INFANT DEATH RATE. In spite of difficult housing conditions
and the heavy increase in the number of births in 1946, the infant
death rate for the year was maintained at the low record of 49
per 1,000 births reached in the previous year. This infant death
rate compares favourably with the figures which were recorded in
the years before the war. In 1939, the rate was 64, and in 1938
it was 79.
MATERNAL DEATH RATE. Three mothers died as a result of
pregnancy or childbirth out of a total of 2,763 confinements
(including stillbirths). These figures give a maternal death rate
of 1.08 per 1,000 confinements which has been lower on only one
previous occasion.
GENERAL DEATH RATE. The death rate of 1946 was 12.3 which
practically co-incides with the rate recorded before the war. The
average figure for the war years was 16.1, and in the early part
of the war it reached the high figure of 17.4.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Apart from scabies, which continued
to cause trouble, there was no occurrence of any infectious or
contagious disease in serious form during the year.
Although the number of cases of diphtheria was higher in
1946 than the lowest recorded (in 1945), it is noteworthy that,
of the 37 cases notified, 16 were persons over the age of 15 years.
The only death recorded as due to diphtheria was that of a man of
70 years, who died in hospital from heart failure complicated with
diphtheria. He had not been immunised.
The number of cases of tuberculosis notified was 210,
compared with 188 in the previous year, but the death rate from
this disease fell from 84 per 100,000 population in 194 5 to 55
in 1946.
VITAL STATISTICS
The table set out on the next two pages gives the
important vital statistics for 1946, together with comparative
figures for previous seven years.