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55
Tuberculosis
Recent years have seen lung disease in the form of tuberculosis
effectively controlled by chemotherapy and the breeding of tuberculin
tested herds of cattle has been eminently successful in almost
eliminating the dissemination of other forms of tuberculosis.
Total deaths in the Borough from all forms of tuberculosis
numbered 7 producing a rate of 0.03. Of the deaths registered,
4 were males and 3 females, with 3 being of non-pulmonary type.
The comparable rate for England and Wales was 0.04 and that
returned for Greater London was similar.
Violent Deaths
As a classification, the term "violent death" includes those
deaths arising from motor vehicle accidents, suicide, homicide and
"other forms" of accident.
During 1969 there were 88 deaths from violence in the Borough,
giving a rate of 0.39 per 1,000 population compared with a rate of
0.48 for England and Wales and 0.43 for Greater London.
Motor Vehicle Accidents—Road accidents, which are now the
commonest cause of death in adolescents and young adults, were
responsible for 6,628 deaths in England and Wales during the year,
an increase of 4.4% over the previous year when the total was
6,349.
Twenty-two persons in the Borough died from motor vehicle
accidents during 1969, a similar figure to that recorded for the
previous year. The calculated rate of 0.10 compares with 0.14 and
0.11, the rates for England and Wales and Greater London
respectively.
Home Accidents—This year's total of 14 deaths from home
accidents shows an increase of 2 over the 1968 figure giving a rate
of 0.06. Of these, 7 resulted from falls, 3 from inhalation of fumes
from fires, 1 from burns and 1 from traumatic asphyxia. After
swallowing paint from staircase and drainage pipes a child of 3
years died from lead poisoning while another child of one year
died from drug absorption subsequent to the ingestion of tablets
inadvertently left around the house.
Suicide—Contrary to general belief, suicide continues to claim
a substantial number of victims. In England and Wales, the number
of suicides during 1969 amounted to the formidable figure of
4,326, giving a rate of 0.09 per 1,000 population. Moreover, of this
total more than 22%, viz. 951, were recorded in London, giving a
rate of 0.12. This compares with 21 deaths and a rate of 0.09 for
Greenwich showing decreases of 7 and 0.03 respectively.