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9
Population
It is estimated that there has been little change in the population
or in its age structure in recent years.
Births
The birth rate has fallen by about 2 per thousand of the population
from the level maintained during the past few years.
The illegitimate birth rates fell to an average figure for recent
years from the raised rate in 1957.
Stillbirths
Unfortunately the stillbirth rates rose again this year, and were
considerably higher than the national average.
Deaths
There was a small but happy fall in the death rate, which even
after standardisation is well below that for the country as a whole.
Maternal Mortality
There were no maternal deaths during the year.
Infant Mortality
The infant mortality rate remained almost the same as in 1957 and
is still just below the rate for England and Wales which fell slightly.
Causes of Death
There was no further increase in this year in the previously rising
number of deaths from cancer of the lung, and in fact a very slight
reduction of 3. The total number of deaths from all forms of cancer was
again about the same as before.
There was a substantial fall in the number of deaths from coronary
disease namely from 63 in 1957 to 51 in 1958.
Again there were 4 deaths from motor car accidents but the exceptionally
unhappy experience of 1957 when there were 10 fatal accidents
from other causes was not repeated this year when 2 were recorded.
On the other hand there were 9 cases of suicide as against 4 in
1957.