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11
problem of adequate space heating for elderly persons is referred to further in the
section of this report dealing with the elderly.
Deaths of infants under one year
The infant mortality rate of 19.1 for 1962 is the lowest ever recorded, with the
solar' exception of 1954 when the rate was 17 per thousand live births. Prom one to
twelve months the greatest risk to infants is due to respiratory disease, particularly
pneumonia. Of a total of 26 deaths in this age group, 11 were due to pneumonia and
bronchitis.
Maternal Mortality
There were three maternal deaths during the year compared with seven in 1961. It
was noted in the last report that five of the seven deaths were consequent upon
abortion. It is satisfactory to record that, in 1962, only one of the three deaths was
attributable to this cause.
Respiratory Tuberculosis
The continued downward trend of deaths from lung tuberculosis, which was interrupted
in 1961, was fortunately resumed in 1962, when the rate dropped from 0.10 per thousand
population to 0.06. The decreased risk of mortality was also combined with another drop
in the number of new cases commented upon elsewhere in this report, and confirms that the
problem of tuberculosis is at any rate being reduced even if in areas such as Islington
there is still a considerable way to go before it becomes a negligible problem.
Malignant Growths of Lung and Bronchus
The comment was made in last year's report that the 144 deaths due to this group of
causes which occurred in 1961 was the first break in the regular year by year increase
in males since 1955. At 144 male deaths in 1962, there was an increase of three over
1961, but the number of deaths in wonen at 22 was seven less than the previous year.