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3
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough of
Lewisham
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I submit my report for the health department for the year 1958.
Vital statistics
The Registrar General's estimate of the population in midyear 1958
at 221,000 was 100 more than his estimate for midyear 1957. This is the
first time since the 1951 census that the estimated population has increased.
The crude birth rate for the year at 14.8 is exactly the same as the
previous year and the adjusted birth rate (allowing for age and sex
distribution of the population) is also the same at 14.1. The crude death
rate at 11.0 is the same as in the previous year and so is the adjusted rate.
The infant mortality rate at 24 was disappointingly high being 8 up on
the previous year (which however was the lowest on record). The infant
mortality rate is divisible into two parts, the neonatal rate (i.e., up to one
month of age) and the rest of the first year rate. The neonatal rate went
up from 12 to nearly 19 and this therefore accounted for almost all the
increase in the infant mortality rate. The rest of the first year rate
showed a small increase from a little over 4 to almost 6. The stillbirth
rate remained at 18 and over recent years it has shown a surprising
uniformity, but the combined stillbirth and infant death rate (reproductive
wastage) at 41 showed the effect of the increased infant mortality
rate. One point of statistical interest in the figures for 1958 was the
number of births of boys compared with that of girls ; there were
1,633 boys and 1,642 girls, and looking through past reports it seems that
this is the only occasion which can be traced where the births of girls
have exceeded those of boys. The various comparative figures of general
statistics since the beginning of the century are shown in table 10.
Infectious disease other than tuberculosis
The total number of notifications received (including 236 for
tuberculosis) was 1,829, which is less than half the number in the
previous year but compares with 1,709 in 1956. The decrease was
almost entirely due to the drop in measles—from 2,728 in 1957 to 835
last year. Dysentery cases increased moderately, (from 129 to 214) but
showed no special problems. There were only two cases of poliomyelitis,
this being by far the smallest number since the disease became common
in 1947. It is too early to say what part of this diminution was due to
vaccination, but it has been abundantly proved by now that vaccination
is effective, and therefore it is hoped that it will become more popular.
Two particular points have come to light in connection with polio
vaccination: (1) that even if it does not prevent in all cases the occurrence
of the disease it reduces very considerably the proportion of cases which
are likely to become paralysed, and (2) it is probable that the protection
acquired from the usual three doses of the vaccine may last a considerable
number of years. The number of cases of whooping cough at 154 was