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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER
OF HEALTH FOR 1971
To The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the London Borough of Wandswarth
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you the seventh Annual Report
on the health of the London Borough of Wandsworth covering the
twelve months ending the 31st December, 1971.
In an age when increasing attention is being focussed on evaluation,
it seems especially fitting to give pride of place in the Annual
Report to those vital statistics which serve as yardsticks for the
overall measurement of the health of the public ; for ease of comparison
the figures for the previous year appear in parentheses in
this paragraph. 1971 gave much cause for satisfaction. Although
the size of the resident population fell noticeably—the mid-year
estimate being 300,530 (317,410)—there were only slightly fewer
births and there was a small reduction in the number of deaths;
statistically, because of the smaller total population, a slight increase
was recorded in both the birth rate, 15.70 (15.04) and the general
death rate, 11.20 (10.70). Only one death attributable to pregnancy
or childbirth occurred during the year, the maternal mortality
rate falling to 0.2 (0.4), and an appreciable reduction was
recorded in the overall infant mortality rate, 17.0 (19.7) and in the
stillbirth rate, 9.0 (13.77); in particular the neonatal mortality rate,
related to deaths under the age of one month, and the perinatal
mortality rate—which is based on the number of stillbirths and
deaths within the first week of life per thousand total live and still
births- fell hearteningly to 11.0 (15.07) and 19.0 (27.0) respectively.
These mortality rates bear comparison with those for the country as
a whole. An even healthier picture would have been portrayed locally
but for the adverse influence of illegitimacy. The proportion of
illegitimate births in Wandsworth in 1971—roughly one in sixwas
representative of Inner London as a whole, being more than
double the national average of 8%, and although the illegitimate
infant mortality rate fell to 23.0 (30.0) it still remained half as
high again as the rate for legitimate infants, 16.0 (17.70). A sad
commentary indeed on the inadequate attention paid to human
relationships in an increasingly affluent society.
Not surprisingly, in a post-war setting in which the general
standard of living has risen appreciably, growing attention has
been paid in the field of preventive medicine to those diseases
associated with excessive personal indulgence. To-day the