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5
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Borough of Hornsey.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for the year
ending December 151st. 1942.
The chief vital statistics are set out in Table A, where it will
be seen that the birth-rate at 16.37 per thousand of population is the
highest since the rise which occurred immediately after the last war.
The infant mortality rate of 49 8 is a great improvement on the figure
of 63.2 for 1941, but is still far above the pre-war figure of 27.25.
The general death-rate at 14.13 is considerably higher than that for
England and Wales (11.6), and is largely explained by deaths of verv
young infants and very aged men and Women.
Infantile Mortality.
Deaths of children under one year of age numbered 61, which is
at the rate of 49.8 per 1,000 live births. More than half (33 out
of 61) occurred in the first week of life.
Tuberculosis.
The deaths from all forms of tuberculosis numbered 60 in 1942.
as compared with 49 and 48 in 1940 and 1941 respectively. This
war-time rise has come later in Hornsey than in most other towns.
Infectious Diseases.
The most notable fact in the vital statistics of 1942 is the absence
of any death at any age from any of the following infectious diseases:
—Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers, cerebro-spinal fever, scarlet fever,
whooping-cough, diphtheria, measles, poliomyelitis and encephalitis.
The causes of this unique absence of mortality in diseases which
in the past have, at one time or another, taken serious toll of life,
are various—e.g., good sanitation has practically eliminated the
typhoid-paratyphoid group ot fevers; modern chemo-theraphv (the
discovery of the sulphonamide group of drugs) has revolutionised the
treatment of cerebro spinal fever and other infective processes;
immunisation has reduced diphtheria to a very low incidence and
practically eliminated the risk of death; in the remaining acute
specific infectious diseases, like measles and whooping-cough no more
definite explanation of the absence of any fatal cases can be offered
than a generally higher standard of health and consequent increased
resistance to these diseases and their complications.
I have the honour to be, Mr. Mayor. Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obediant servant,
R. P. GARROW.
Medical Officer of Health.