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DEATHS.
There were 659 deaths in 1948, giving a death rate of
9.1 per 1,000 population. This compares unfavourably, but
not significantly so, with the previous year's figures of 8.9,
and is below the average for the past 14 years, namely, 9.5.
There follows a table of the main causes of death. The
ages at death shew that 60% were 65 years and over.
Causes.
Cancer
Heart and Circulatory Diseases 313
Respiratory Diseases (not Tuberculosis) 54
Tuberculosis 45
Infectious Diseases 9
Accident 22
Suicide 12
Digestive Diseases 23
Other Causes 65
Perhaps the most significant fact emerging from the
above table is the number of deaths from digestive diseases.
This would tend to confirm the commonly expressed opinion
that gastric and duodenal diseases are on the increase. The
fact that there were 23 deaths from digestive diseases,
which are not particularly mortal complaints, suggests that
the number of sufferers must be legion.
INFANT DEATHS.
There were 20 deaths of infants under one year of age,
giving a very low Infant Mortality Rate of 16.7 per 1,000
live births.
It is perhaps unfortunate that it is impossible to investigate
the reasons for this low rate, as the Maternity
and Child Welfare services do not come within the province
of your Council, and your Medical Officer of Health is
therefore not armed with sufficient information about the
family and environmental circumstances or with adequate
medical details. The Infant Mortality Rate for Chislehurst
and Sidcup compares very favourably with the average rate
of the past 14 years of 37 per 1,000 live births.
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
The maternal mortality rate has risen, being 2.5, and
thus compares with a rate of .6 for the previous year. At
first sight this might appear to be an alarming increase,
but it actually represents three maternal deaths, whereas
there was only one in the previous year. Even a small
increase in the number of maternal deaths gives a comparatively
inflated Maternal Mortality Rate.
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