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2
COUNTY BOROUGH OF CROYDON.
ANNUAL REPORT
of the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
For the Year 1952.
S. L. WRIGHT, M.D., M.R.C.P., D.P.H.
To the Chairman and Members of the Health Committee.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report on the health
of the people of Croydon and the relevant services of the Corporation
for the year ending December 31st, 1952.
It will be noted that the birth rate continued to decline, but
the estimated population still remained just over a quarter of a
million. The standardised death rate was unaltered, in contrast
to the much reduced figure for the whole country. The infant
mortality rate showed a small rise over the record low figure of
last year, and a further impovement in mortality from tuberculosis
was achieved. The Chest Physician, however, draws attention to
the rise in deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis amongst males
over the age of 45 years.
Infectious diseases continued prevalent but generally mild in
character.
In the statistical section are included extracts from tables
issued by the Registrar-General of the 1 per cent. samples of the
1951 Census. It is of interest that an improvement is shown in
the housing ratios, in comparison with those of the 1931 Census.
The present housing shortage represents the failure to meet the
demand due to the general rise in the standard of living. This
problem continued to be aggravated by the difficulty of retaining
privately owned properties as fit dwellings owing to the disparity
between restricted rents and costs of essential repairs.