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To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Battersea.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have much pleasure in presenting to you my Annual Report for
1960. The Report follows the usual form, being mainly statistical,
but with comments on any points of special interest.
The decline in population, to which reference has been made in
previous years, continued in 1960 from 108,500 to 107,120, a reduction
of 1,380.
The total number of live and still births was 1,968, while the live
birth rate based on the number of live births, namely 1,933, was 17.50,
a slight reduction over the previous year. The total number of deaths
of people living in Battersea was 1,138, which gave a death rate per
1,000 of the population of 10.09, a reduction from the rate of 11.63
noted in 1959.
In 1960, the number of infant deaths at 35 was nine fewer than
in the previous year, and this gave an infant mortality rate of 18.1.
This is not the lowest rate ever recorded in Battersea, for in 1952 the
rate was 17.6, but it is nevertheless a gratifying reduction. Equally
gratifying was the fact that no death occurred from diseases or accidents
of child birth in 1960, and here we have to go back to 1951 to find a
similar record. These low rates are most satisfactory. I have, however,
noted in previous years that when the rates are reduced to low levels.
and are based on a comparatively small number of actual cases, chance
variations from year to year are bound to occur. It is, therefore, too
much to hope that in each subsequent year we shall be able to report
no maternal deaths, and an infant death rate as low as 18.1. Nevertheless,
these low rates do reflect a great credit on everyone concerned
with maternal and child health, particularly midwives, both domicilary
and those in hospital, health visitors, general practitioners and
obstetricians. The corresponding figures for the infant mortality rate
and maternal rate in the administrative County of London are 21.48
and 0.45.
The year was not very eventful from the point of view of infectious
diseases. The total figure of infectious diseases notified, namely 558.
was the lowest ever reported in Battersea, due in the main to the
comparatively low incidence of cases of measles and dysentery. Measles.
as is well-known, tends to occur in London every two years, and as
1960 was a "non-measles year", the drop in cases occasioned no
surprise. The drop in the number of cases of dysentery, however, to
68 in 1960, from 167 in 1959, was satisfactory, since dysentery, although
in most cases not a serious illness, can be of considerable nuisance
value. It is hoped that this reduction will continue in subsequent years.
as investigation in these cases entails a considerable amount of work.
often showing relatively little result. Only one case of poliomyelitis
arose during 1960. Some reference is made in the body of the Report
to the action taken when the personal linen from a case of smallpox,
which occurred in another part of London, was sent to a large laundry
in Battersea. An incident such as this, although only a part of the
steps taken to prevent the spread of smallpox, gives rise to a surpising
number of problems, and an equally surprising amount of work for the
Health Department.