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1
Town Hall,
Hammersmith, W.6.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have very much pleasure in submitting to you my Annual
Report on the health and sanitary conditions of the Borough
for the year 1953.
Once again I regret that it was not possible to publish this
earlier as the Registrar General's figures required to calculate
the various rates were not available sooner.
I am again able to report that the general health of the
community has remained good, and that there was no serious
outbreak of any infectious disease.
The population, as estimated by the Registrar General, shows
a decrease of 1,200 and is now 117,600, compared with the 1952
estimate of 118,800.
There was a decrease of 27 in the number of births notified
during the year as compared with last year, and although the
number was in excess of the deaths by 543, the birth rate of
14.9 remains the same as the previous year.
The number of deaths dropped by 150, resulting in a rate
of 10.3 per thousand of the population, which constitutes a new
record low figure for the Borough.
Three maternal deaths occurred.
Thirty-five children died before they reached the age of
one year, giving an infant mortality rate of 20 deaths per
thousand registered live births. Of these 35 children who died,
25 succumbed before they reached the age of one month. It
must be borne in mind though, when one is considering this
figure, the number of stillbirths that occurred. These amounted
to 44, an increase of 10 over last year, and these losses show
that there must be no let-up in our efforts to cater for the expectant
mother and in our provision for maternity services.
I am particularly happy to report that there were no deaths
among illegitimate infants. This is the first occasion that
Hammersmith has had no such loss, the mortality rate hitherto
having been nearly always higher than that for legitimate
children.
It is also very pleasing to report that the number of deaths
from cancer (all causes) shows a decrease of 72 as compared with
last year's, and these now occupy third place in the killing
diseases,-last year cancer occupied second place. Cancer of
the lung likewise shows a decrease for the year, the number of
deaths being 52 as compared with 64 for 1952.
There has been an increase in the incidence of tuberculosis,
but the number of deaths from this disease is the lowest ever
recorded.