London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hammersmith 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hammersmith Borough]
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9
(a) Population:
Once again the Registrar-General's estimated population figure shows a
decrease, the figure for 1964 of 107,530 being 130 less than the previous year.
| Year | Population | Excess of Births over Deaths | Year | Population | Excess of Births over Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | 96,100 | 434 | 1955 | 114,700 | 462 |
| 1946 | 111,860 | 974 | 1956 | 113,300 | 529 |
| 1947 | 117,280 | 1,190 | 1957 | 111,700 | 657 |
| 1948 | 115,800 | 847 | 1958 | 110,200 | 786 |
| 1949 | 118,440 | 662 | 1959 | 108,900 | 767 |
| 1950 | 119,200 | 691 | 1960 | 108,290 | 1,007 |
| 1951 | 118,300 | 377 | 1961 | 108,010 | 1,017 |
| 1952 | 118.800 | 420 | 1962 | 108,120 | 1.079 |
| 1953 | 117,600 | 543 | 1963 | 107,660 | 1,156 |
| 1954 | 116,500 | 705 | 1964 | 107,530 | 1,246 |
(b) Births:
The corrected number of births was 1,224 males, 1,174 females, giving a total
of 2,398 compared with 2,461 in 1963. This gives an annual rate of 22.3 per
thousand of the population. Although there was a decrease of 63 in the number
of births there was an increase of 28 in illegitimate births.
The increase in illegitimate births has continued unabated since 1955 when
the number was 133, comprising 7.8% of the total live births. This year the number
has increased to 411 and the percentage is 17.1%.
5,899 births were registered in Hammersmith during 1964. Queen Charlotte's
Hospital had 3,332 births and Hammersmith Hospital 2,325; only 242 other births
were registered.
Most of the births in the hospitals were in respect of non-residents and these
were transferred to their home towns.
(c) Deaths:
Deaths registered during the year numbered 1,328. From this figure must be
deducted 660 in respect of non-residents transferred to their home towns. To
counterbalance this must be added a total of 484 residents of the Borough who
died in other parts of England. This gives the corrected figure of deaths as 1.152,
comprising 613 males and 539 females.
It should be mentioned that of the outward transferable deaths, 584 occurred
in three of the large hospitals within the Borough.
Once again our death rate is increased by 13 deaths, in hospital, of patients
from such far-away places as Greece, Australia, Pakistan, Sierra-Leone, Kuwait.
The Registrar-General rules that where there is no place of residence in the
British Isles the authority for the area where death occurs accepts the death.