View report page

5
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Battersea.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
This Report is presented in the traditional fashion although the
Metropolitan Borough of Battersea has, at the time of writing, ceased
to exist following on the re-organisation of London Local Government.
The Council of the London Borough of Wandsworth, as the new Authority
which has inherited the residual liabilities of the old Authorities
under Article 15 of the London Authorities Properties, etc., Order, will
be responsible for meeting the cost of printing this Report. By Article 8
of the London Authorities (Health and Welfare Services) Order, 1964,
the London Borough of Wandsworth must send copies of this Report to
the Minister of Health and to the Greater London Council and, no doubt,
the London Borough of Wandsworth will desire that this be done.
There was a further slight decline in the population in 1964, the
Registrar General's mid-year estimate being 102,820, some 120 less than
the previous year.
The total number of births was smaller in 1964 and the live birth
rate correspondingly lower, being 19.98 as compared with 20.87 in 1963.
The rates for London, and England and Wales were 17.2 and 18.4
respectively.
The death rate dropped from 12.76 to 11.43, this figure being slightly
below that of 11.9 in 1962. The total number of deaths attributed to
Battersea was less than the previous year, namely, 1,152 as against 1,288.
The corresponding rates for London, and England and Wales as a whole,
were 11.7 and 11.3 respectively.
There were 51 deaths of children under the age of one year as
against 47 in 1963, giving an infant mortality rate of 22.59 as against
19.91 in 1963. There was, as in 1963, one death from puerperal causes,
giving a maternal mortality rate of 0.44 per thousand live and still births.
The number of cases of infectious disease notified in 1964 was 744
as against 937 in 1963, the reduction of 193 being due in the main to the
reduced number of measles cases reported, namely, 552 as against 703
in 1963. For the third year in succession, no cases of poliomyelitis
occurred Borough. The number of cases of whooping cough
which, in the previous year, was comparatively high, was reduced in
1964 to 35 cases. As deaths from whooping cough or measles were
reported. As regards dvsenterv, there were 41 cases reported as against
30 in 1963 and 94 in 1962.
Last year, I reported a reduction in the number of notifications of
tuberulosis. During 1964, however, there was in increase, a total of
67 cases of tuberculosis, all forms, being notified, as compared with 46
in 1963 and 75 in 1962. In addition, 41 cases were reported or otherwise
came to our knowledge, making a total of 108 cases coming to our notice
within the year. At the end of the year there were 798 cases of pulmonary
tuberculosis on the Register as against 841 at the end of 1963.
There were 6 deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis in 1964 as against 7 in
1963 and 12 in 1962.