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The birth rate, being the number of births registered during the
year per 1,000 of the estimated mid-year population, shows an increase
of 0.6 over the previous year giving a figure of 17.4. Taking into
account the age and sex distribution within the Borough the comparative
figure is 16.5 as against 17.6 for London and 15.3 for England and
Wales.
The death rate of 11.9 is 1.6 below the figure for 1951 and gives
a comparative figure of 12.8 as against 12.6 for London and 11.3 for
England and Wales.
The infant mortality rate, being the deaths of children under the
age of 1 year for every 1,000 live births registered, is 29.2 as
compared with 23.8 for London and 27.6 for England and Wales. The
rate for Bethnal Green is 6.7 above the figure for the previous year
but, as a single death can cause a large alteration in the rate, care
should be used in drawing any conclusions.
The causes of death are shown in Table 1, which follows. There
continues to be a rather disquieting rise in the number of deaths
from malignant growths of the lung in men, the figure being 44 as
compared with 29 for the previous year. The mounting frequency of
this cause of death throughout the country and particularly in London
during the past few years is still being actively investigated and
whilst there can be no doubt that tobacco smoking is one factor
causing this increase other factors such as atmospheric pollution
are receiving careful consideration.
Notification of Births
Arrangements continued in operation during the year whereby the
London County Council furnished to the Borough Council a weekly return
of births (including stillbirths) notified to them as the Local
Health Authority under the National Health Service Act, 1946.
During the year 1,008 live births (524 male and 484 female) were
notified and in addition there were 18 stillbirths (10 male and 8
female).
These figures represent corrected totals after the addition of
inward transfers and the deletion of outward transfers and the
difference between these figures and those set out previously is due
to the fact that births must be registered only within 6 weeks and it
is not uncommon for a child to be born and notified in one calendar
year but not actually registered until after the New Year.