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London County Council
LONDON'S HEALTH IN 1951
Preliminary report, by the County Medical Officer
of Health, Sir Allen Daley, M.D., F.R.C.P.
A. VITAL STATISTICS
Births after an estimated correction for residence numbered
52,800. The provisional birth rate for 1951 is 15.8 per 1,000.
There has been a progressive decline from 1947, as will bo seen from
the following figures:-
1951
15.8
1947
20.9
1950
15.7
1946
20.0
1949
16.7
1945
15.7
1948
17.9
1931-40
13.8
It is still too soon to suggest any level at which post-war fertility
may stabilise, but the 1951 rate is not significantly different from
that for 1950 and for the present the decline has ceased.
Deaths numbered 4.2,360 (after the actual registrations have
been adjusted by an estimated correction for residence).
The provisional death rate for 1951 is 12.7 per 1,000.
This compares with
1950 11.3
1949 11.7
1948 ll.l
1947 12.5
1946 12.6
1945 14.1
1931-40 12.7
The higher mortality in 1951 may be attributed in part to
the influenza epidemic in the early months of the year. Apart from
actual deaths assigned to influenza there wore many more deaths than
usual from bronchitis and pneumonia among elderly people as a result
of the prevalence of respiratory infection. In addition to this
factor there was a general upward fluctuation in mortality.
Infantile mortality - The provisional rate of infantile
mortality for 1951 is 26 per 1,000 live births. This compares with
1950 26
1949 27
1948 31
1947 34
1946 38
1945 44
1931-40 60
The provisional rate for neo-natal mortality (i.e., of
children under 4. weeks) was 17.4 per 1,000 live births and compares
with
1950 16.9
1949 17.5
1948 17.5
1947 18.1
1946 22.2
1945 23.0
1931-40 24.0
Maternal mortality (excluding abortion) - The provisional
rate is 0.52 per 1,000 live and stillbirths. Comparable figures
are -
1950 0.53
1949 0.40
1948 0.50
1947 0.67
1946 0.92
1945 1.35
1931-40 1.91
P.T.O.