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accounted for 578 (330 males and 248 females), some 43 less than
the 621 who died from this disease in 1970. Of the 330 males
who succumbed from this cause, 36.3% were between the ages of
45 and 65 years compared with slightly less than 11 % of similarly
grouped females.
In contrast with the figures returned for England and Wales and
Greater London, viz. 2.93 and 2.71, both indicating a rise over the
previous year, the Borough rate of 2.66 showed a slight reduction
of 0.09.
Cerebrovascular Disease
Of the total of 299 deaths arising from cerebrovascular disease
during the year, 4 more than 1970, 171 were females. Apart from
ischaemic heart disease and pneumonia, this constituted the main
cause of death in females, being responsible for almost 14% of
all female deaths during the year, the greater proportion of which,
viz. 147 (86%) occurred in women over the age of 65 years and
only 10 (5.8%) in those under 55 years.
The present rate of 1.38 shows a slight increase of 0.07 over that
for 1970 but still compares favourably with that of 1.41 for England
and Wales.
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 591 victims
(317 males and 274 females) during the year under review, a
decrease of 15 from those recorded during 1970 but producing a
rate of 2.72 per 1,000 population.
During 1971, deaths arising from cancer of the lung, stomach,
intestines and oesophagus fell slightly and their rates were more
favourable than those for the previous year. For carcinoma of the
breast and uterus, however, the rates were less satisfactory and a
persistence of current trends will demand closer surveillance. Of
the 9 cervical cancer deaths, 6 were over the age of 65 years, the
remaining 3 cases being in the 45/54 years age group. Cancer of
the bladder accounted for 17 deaths (12 males, 5 females), a fall
of 48.5% from the previous year, of whom 10 men and 3 women
were over 65 years of age.