London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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City of Westminster 1971

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]

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INFANT MORTALITY

WestminsterGreater LondonEngland & Wales
197119701971197019711970
Total deaths of infants under 1 year3558
legitimate2645
illegitimate913
Death rate of all infants under 1 year per 1,000 live births13.3520.9817.417.818.018.0
legitimate infants per 1,000 legitimate live births11.9819.71
Illegitimate infants per 1,000 illegitimate live births19.9526.97
Total deaths of infants under 4 weeks2244
legitimate1634
illegitimate610
Neo-natal mortality rate (deaths under 4 weeks
per 1,000 total live births)8.3915.9111.612.312.012.0
Total deaths of infants under 1 week1940
legitimate1331
illegitimate69
Early neo-natal mortality rate (deaths under one week per 1,000 total live births)7.2514.479.710.710.011.0
Perinatal mortality rate (stillbirths plus deaths under one week per 1,000 total live and stillbirths)18.1123.3021.322.622.023.0

Details showing causes of infant death according to age group and sex are given in Table 2 page 70.

ACCIDENTAL DEATHS

Total deaths of residents from accidents of all kinds9194
Deaths from motor vehicle accidents2736

The total number of deaths shown in Table 1, page 69, includes persons who, though normally resident
in Westminster, died elsewhere in England and Wales but excludes persons who, though they died in the
City, were ordinarily resident in other parts of England and Wales. Deaths of persons ordinarily resident
outside the borders of England and Wales are included in the figures if they occurred in the City, as also are
those of members of H.M. Forces who were stationed in the area.
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER NOTIFIABLE DISEASES
The incidence of infectious disease in the City, in general, continues to show a downward trend.
Notifications received (excluding tuberculosis) decreased from 557 in 1970 to 368 in 1971 due largely to
fewer cases of measels, 190 as compared with 365 in the previous year. There was also a significant decrease
in tuberculosis with 117 cases against 145 in 1970.
Table 3, page 71, gives details of notifications received and the age groups concerned.
Acute Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria and Smallpox
No cases of these diseases occurred in Westminster during 1971.
Dysentery
The decrease in the number of cases of dysentery observed in 1970 has been maintained. Twenty-five
notifications were received during 1971 compared with thirty in the previous year. There were no
outbreaks of dysentery in any Hospital in Westminster or City Council Nurseries.
Infective Jaundice
Fifty notifications (52) of Infective Jaundice were received during 1971, the third full year since the
disease became notifiable.