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6
Public Health Department,
Town Hall, Greenwich, S.E.10.
August, 1957.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have pleasure in presenting the Annual Report for 1956.
Once again the population has continued to decline, the estimated
figure of 88,780 being 710 lower than last year. The adjusted
death rate was 1.41 greater, but again, at 15.07, Infantile Mortality
Rate continued to be lower than most boroughs and considerably
lower than the average for London.
There were 13 Neo-natal Deaths, corresponding to 65% of
all Infant Deaths under one year. I am glad to report that no
mother died as a result of childbirth.
The Cancer death rate continues to increase and is now 2.11
as against 1.89 last year. Cancer of Lung and Bronchus showed
marked increase but there was a slight decline in intestinal malignancy.
There was a slight increase in deaths from Pulmonary
Tuberculosis, but no deaths were recorded as due to any of the other
common infectious diseases.
The Borough was free from Diphtheria and there were only 44
cases of Measles as against 1,684 in 1955. Whooping Cough declined
by 43 and Poliomyelitis by 15. There were 9 notifications of
Poliomyelitis, 5 being in respect of residents ; one Greenwich
case was notified to Lewisham, giving a total of 6 Borough cases.
Four were of the paralytic type and 2 non-paralytic. The most
notable feature of the year in regard to infectious diseases was the
high incidence of Sonne Dysentery, a comparatively mild but troublesome
intestinal infection. There were 480 notified cases and in the
body of the Report I have included a comprehensive analysis of the
cases, together with an assessment of environmental factors.
The Chest Physician, Dr. Jeanes, has kindly supplied me with
information about the year's work at the Chest Clinic, and it is
gratifying to record the satisfactory progress which is being made
in Greenwich in regard to Tuberculosis treatment and control.