View report page

51
offset by increased mortality in heart, cerebrovascular and respiratory
diseases accompanied by a decided advance in suicides.
Although, statistically, variations may sometimes seem substantial,
in many instances actual numbers are small and lead to
wide and often only temporary fluctuations.
Heart Disease
Recognised as the principal "killer" complaint of modern times
this classification, covering as it does (a) chronic rheumatic, (b)
hypertensive, (c) ischaemic and (d) other forms of heart disease,
it was responsible for 812 deaths (443 males and 369 females)
during the current year. This total which was an increase of 28
over that of the previous year, formed 31.7% of the total of deaths
from all causes and gives a rate of 3.55 per 1,000 of the population.
The rate for 1967 was 3.40.
Deaths in the Borough from ischaemic heart disease alone
accounted for 632 (363 males and 269 females). This is broadly
in accord with a total of 627 who died from coronary disease
during 1967. Some 34% of the 363 males who succumbed from this
cause did so before reaching the age of 65 years compared with
only 11% of similarly grouped females. Compared with figures of
2.85 and 2.65 for England and Wales and Greater London
respectively, the Borough rate was 2.76.
Cerebrovascular Disease
Of the total of 293 deaths arising from cerebrovascular disease
(previously classified as Vascular Lesions of Nervous System), 192
were females. Apart from ischaemic heart disease, this constituted
the main cause of death in females, being responsible for almost
1/6th of all female deaths during the year. As expected, the
greater proportion of these deaths, viz. 174 (90%) occurred in
women over the age of 65 years and only 9 (4.7%) in those under
55 years.
The present rate of 1.28 shows a slight increase over that for
1967.
Cancer
Second only to heart disease as the principal cause of death in
the community, this disease, which has so many psychological
connotations not met with in other diseases, claimed 552 victims
during the year under review, a decrease of 40 from those recorded
during 1967.
Although Other Forms of Cancer registered an 8% increase,
notable reductions occurred in those deaths arising from Lung
Cancer, Cancer of the Breast and Leukaemia. The total of 552
cancer deaths was equivalent to 21.6% of deaths from all causes,