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in 1921 almost 1 in 10 babies died before their first birthday. The rate for England
and Wales was 18 for 1970. Details of causes of death at various ages under 1 year
will be found in the Appendix on page 82.
MATERNAL MORTALITY
There was one maternal death this year.
MEO-NATAL MORTALITY
During the year there were 33 deaths of infants under 4 weeks representing a
neo-natal mortality rate of 13.35,the rate for England and Wales being 12. Last year
there were 31 deaths giving a rate of 11.86 per 1;000 live births,
PERI-NATAL MORTALITY
This term is used to describe the combination of stillbirths and deaths in the
first week of life expressed as a rate per 1.000 total live and still births. The
rate for this year was 24.77 the rate for England and Wales being 23.
ACCIDENTAL DEATHS
Deaths due to accidents numbered 66 (compared with 79 last year) motor vehicles
being the cause of 24 deaths. Statistics supplied by the Road Safety Officer will
be found on page 89.
EXPECTATION OF LIFE
The expectation of life at birth based on the estimated home population and
mortality experience over the three years 1967 to 1969. is 68.7 years for a boy and
74.9 for a girl. This is an increase of 0.7 years formal es and 1.2 years for females
over the figures based on mortality during the years 1957 to 1959. The figures also
show that 70%of males and 82% of females can be expected to live to age 65, and that
at age 65 a man has a life expectancy of 12.0 years and a woman 15.9 years. Sixty
years ago the expectation of life of a boy at birth was 48.5 years and of a girl 52.4
years.
MORBIDITY
The number of first claims for sickness benefit are obtained from local offices
of the Ministry of Social Security and are included for information in a weekly
bulletin circulated by the department to all hospitals and general practitioners in
the area. The Ministry's offices are not coterminous with the borough boundaries
but rather with postal districts, so that these claims do not relate entirely to
borough residents; they cover the E.l, E.2. E.3:and E.14 postal districts. (Monthly
figures are to be found on page 86 .)
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