View report page

41
Perinatal Mortality.—The Perinatal Mortality Rate, calculated
from a total of 49 still births and deaths of infants under 1 week,
was 32.97 per 1,000 total births compared with 18.45 for the
previous year. The equivalent rate for England and Wales is
28.2.
Reproductive Wastage.—-A sum total of 57 Stillbirths and
Infantile deaths gives a reproductive wastage rate of 38.35 per
1,000 total births, an increase of 12.09 over the 1963 figure.
REMARKS ON VARIOUS DEATH CAUSES
Recognising the importance of ensuring as far as possible the
uniformity and comparability of statistics in relation to diseases
and causes of death, the Registrar-General has, from 1st January,
1950, implemented the Nomenclature Regulations, 1948, as
suggested by the World Health Organisation. Although these regulations
are not binding on Medical Officers of Health, it is essential
that the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries
and Causes of Death, 1955, should be adopted in order that local
statistics can be compared with national figures and national with
international.
Classification of Deaths.—It should be borne in mind that
the statistical data compiled locally relating to cause of death may
not entirely agree with the figures furnished to Local Authorities
by the Registrar-General. Classification of the cause of death is
taken from one or more causes as stated on the medical certificate
in accordance with the rules generally adopted throughout England
and Wales.
The Registrar-General is able, in cases where it is deemed
desirable, to obtain fuller information from the certifying practitioner.
This enables his department to modify the original classification—hence
the possibilities of discrepancies in some cases
between the figures prepared locally and those referred by the
Registrar-General.
Common Infectious Diseases.—Under this classification
comprising Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough
and Diarrhoea, no deaths were registered for the current year, a
similar return to that for the previous year. There was one for
1962, none for 1961, one for 1960 and a nil return for each of the
years 1959 and 1958.
Smallpox.—No deaths from Smallpox have been recorded
during the year, this being the 62nd since a death from this
disease occurred.
In 1901, the first full year of the newly created Boroughs,
Greenwich had 11 cases of smallpox with 3 associated deaths and
in the following year there were 100 notifications and 22 deaths.