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6
Deaths of Infants under one year of age.
Total
Male
Female
Infant Mortality Rate, 19 per
1,000 live births.
Legitimate
20
10
10
Illegitimate
2
2
—
22
12
10
Death Rates of Infants under one year of age.
All infants per 1,000 live births 19
Legitimate death rate per 1,000 legitimate live births 18
Illegitimate death rate per 1,000 illegitimate live births 43.5
Population.
The Registrar General's figures show the population at mid-year
1949 to be 73,850, which equals approximately 8.2 persons per acre.
This figure includes 340 non-civilians, i.e., men and women in the
Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
It is now 20 years since the last census; the next is due to be taken
in 1951, when full particulars of the living circumstances of the
population will be defined and declared.
With the development of St. Paul's Cray L.C.C. estate, the above
mid-year population is already far exceeded and is indicative of the
progress in population which is likely to continue for many years.
This fact is very closely.allied with the question of the future of truly
local government.
Births.
The Registrar General's figures, after correction for inward and
outward transfers, give a total of 1,159, of which 46 were illegitimate.
In addition to these live births, 21 pregnancies ended in stillbirths.
There are no available figures to indicate pregnancies which ended in
abortion. The live births give a birth rate of 15.8 per 1,000 population,
a fall of .6 per 1,000 on the previous year and of 1.6 per 1,000
on the average rate since 1934.
I regret I am unable to indicate the number of births in Hospitals
compared with home and Nursing Home confinements. The stability
of the birth rate in the region of 16 per 1,000 population is a reasonable
figure on which to base the requirements of midwives and
maternity beds in Nursing Homes and in Hospital.
Illegitimate Births.
The illegitimate birth rate for 1,000 births for 1949 was 40
compared with 35 in the previous year. This figure appears to be
stabilised after years of war.