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and the birth rate has been only slightly lower than that of England
and Wales as a whole. The loss in population has thus been due to
migration the rate of which reached a peak some five or six years ago
and now would seem to show signs of diminishing.
During 1960, 1,203 deaths occurred among Southwark residents,
giving an adjusted death rate of 12 per 1,000 of the population compared
with 11.5 both last year and for the country as a whole this
year. There were forty-three infant deaths, an infant mortality rate
of 26.8 per 1,000 live births compared with 28.2 last year and 21.7
for the country as a whole. Of the 43 infant deaths, 27 occurred
during the first four weeks of life.
There was a reduction in the still birth rate from 18 per 1,000
live and still births in 1959 to 15.9 in 1960. This is below the
national figure of 19.7. There was one maternal death during the year
giving a maternal death rate of 0.61 per 1,000 live and still births
as compared with 0.30 for England and Wales.
The principal causes of death during 1960 were diseases of the
heart and circulatory system followed by maligant disease, and diseases
of the respiratory system. There were no deaths from non-pulmonary
tuberculosis and the deaths from the pulmonary form of the disease
were only slightly higher than last year, forming 1.1 per cent of the
total deaths. In contrast to the 14 deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis
there were 74 deaths from cancer of the lung and bronchus, the highest
figure recorded in Southwark. Thirteen of these were female deaths.
Infectious Diseases
The feature of infectious disease in Southwark during 1960 most
worthy of comment was the occurrence of three cases of diphtheria.
Apart from one case in 1958 the disease had been absent from the
borough since 1952. Its reappearance was preceded and followed by
the occurrence of cases in adjacent Boroughs in South East London.
In association with the Divisional Medical Officer of the London
County Council and his staff, the school and household contacts were
investigated, with the result that eight healthy carriers were disclosed.
All those found to be infected were isolated in hospital.
The immunisation state of all contacts was reviewed and appropriate
measures taken to give maximum protection. The experience in Southwark
was that whereas none of the three children who actually suffered from
the disease had been immunised the majority of the healthy carriers
had received the inoculations. The infection was found to be due to
the 'mitis' strain of the organism and fortunately none of the
patients was very ill. The cases and carriers fell broadly into three
groups as regards place of residence and school attended. It was
possible to establish a link whereby infection may well have been
transmitted from one of these groups to another.
In common with the country as a whole, there was an increased
incidence of dysentery in Southwark during the year. A special report
was submitted to the Health Committee on this subject and energetic