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The death rate for the Borough, during 1951, was
9.6 compared with 8.56 for 1950, or, after correction by
means of the comparability factor for deaths (1.18),
11.33 compared with an uncorrect death rate for the
country as a whole of 12.5.
The infant mortality rate for 1951, at 24.76 per
thousand live births, was considerably higher than the
record low rate for 1950, namely, 14.48. The number of
babies who died in the first year of life per thousand live
births, during 1951, was 28 compared with 17 in 1950.
The percentage of children dying during the first month
of life (neo-natal deaths) was, roughly, the same as in
1950 but there was a marked increase, in 1951, in the
number of deaths from bronchitis and pneumonia,
namely, 10 compared with 3 in 1950. These diseases are,
prima facie, preventable and demonstrate, notwithstanding
the record low rate for 1950, the need for further
improvement in environmental conditions and standards
of maternal care. Nevertheless the rate for 1951 compares
favourably with a rate of 29.6 for the country as a whole.
It is necessary to point out that the trend of infant
mortality in a district such as this, based as it is on a
relatively small number of deaths, must not be judged by
small annual fluctuations which may be due to fortuitous
circumstances, but over a period of years and by this
criterion our figures are very satisfactory.
There were no maternal deaths during the year
which reflects credit on the local midwifery services,
bearing in mind the fact that there were 1,131 live births
during the year, in addition to 21 still births.
The incidence of infectious disease within the
Borough continued to be very low. No case of diphtheria
was notified for the second year in succession. Although
this is eminently satisfactory, there is an implied danger
in the freedom from this disease in that the young mothers
of to-day have never seen a child with diphtheria or
heard of a child recently dving from this cause. There is
a noticeable tendency for diphtheria immunisation to be
neglected in many cases. It cannot be too strongly
stressed, however, that our present freedom from this
disease is dependent on a continued high level of
immunisation of young children as a group and parents
should realise that thev have both a public and a private
duty to perform in this matter.
Although there were 2,209 cases of measles there was
only one death from this cause. 440 cases of whooping
cough were notified without a single death. These two
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