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BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
WALWORTH ROAD, S.E.I7.
The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
Metropolitan Borough of Southwark.
YOUR WORSHIP, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report of the Medical
Officer of Health for the year 1957.
Vital Statistics
The Registrar General has estimated the population of the
Metropolitan Borough at mid-year 1957 to be 91,140. This is
1,160 fewer than in 1956 and is the lowest estimate of the
population since 1946. The 1951 census figure was 97,191. On
the other hand the birth rate was 18.1 per 1,000 of population and
was higher than last year (17.5) and the highest since 1950. The
general death rate of 12 per 1,000 population was slightly lower
than that of last year (12.9). Adjustment of these crude rates by
application of the appropriate comparability factor shows that the
adjusted birth rate in Southwark was at 16.1 per 1,000 of population,
exactly the same as England and Wales, while the adjusted death
rate of 10.8 was lower than the death rate for England and Wales
which was 11.5. The infant death rate of 22.3 per 1,000 live
births although higher than the record figure of 16 per 1,000 live
births in 1956, was similar to the infant death rate for the
country as a whole, which in 1957 was 23.0. The still-birth rate
was 24.7 total births and was higher than last year (18.7) and
higher than the corresponding national figure which was 22.4.
Once more it is pleasing to record that during 1957, as in 1956,
there were no maternal deaths in Southwark.
Infectious Disease
The year 1957 did not see a repetition of the epidemic of
dysentery which occurred the previous year. Only 36 cases were
notified as compared to 716 during 1956. Towards the middle of
the year it became apparent that there was to be an outbreak of
measles and a total of 1,179 cases were notified. There were no
deaths from this condition. A total of 188 cases of Whooping
Cough were notified, again with no deaths. Of the four cases of
Poliomyelitis Paralytic which were notified, two have removed
from the Borough. The remaining two, a girl of nine and a boy of
five, both are in good health although there remains some disability
of the left leg in both cases. A decrease of ten in the
number of notifications of pulmonary tuberculosis which were
received during the year as compared to 1956 was offset by an
increase of fourteen in the number of inward transfers. There
were seven fewer deaths from this condition. In common with