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- i -
To: The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark
YOUR WORSHIP, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I have the honour to present the Annua Report of the
Medical Officer of Health for the year 1964.
Vital Statistics
The Registrar General's estimate of the population at mid
1964 shows a decrease of some 1,040 persons. The excess of
births over deaths was 470 as compared with 391 during 1963. A
great deal of re-development has taken place in recent years in
the Borough, and the decrease in the Registrar General's estimate
of the population of the area is some indication of the relative
proportion of the total development which has taken the form of
residential accommodation.
The birth rate during 1964 was of the same order as that
for the previous year and only slightly less than that for the
country as a whole.
Having regard to the relatively small figures involved the
infant mortality rate is bound to show some fluctuation owing to
the operation of chance. During 1964, the infant mortality rate
of 21 per 1,000 live births was rather higher than the low rate
of 18.9 per 1,000 live births experienced in 1963, but only
slightly higher than that for the country as a whole. Similarly
the still birth rate, although higher than last year was only
slightly higher than the figure for England & Wales. The neonatal
mortality rate which refers to the important group of
deaths which occur during the first four weeks of life showed a
reduction from 13.2 per 1,000 live births last year to 12.7.
Once more during 1964 no deaths occurred which were attributable
to pregnancy, child birth or abortion.
The crude general death rate after adjustment by the
application of the comparability factor was 12.4 per 1,000 and
was lower than that of 13.3 per 1,000 of the population which
was experienced during the previous year, but slightly higher
than that for England & Wales, which was 11.3. The commonest
cause of death was disease of the circulatory system. The next
highest number of deaths was due to malignant disease, and in
this connection it is of particular note that the number of
deaths from cancer of the lung increased from 64 during 1963 to