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5
LONDON BOROUGH OF CROYDON
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
AND
PRINCIPAL SCHOOL MEDICAL OFFICER
FOR THE YEAR 1966
——
To the Chairman and Members of the Health Committee
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
In accordance with statutory requirements I present this Report for
1966 on the health of the residents of the London Borough of Croydon.
Statistics
There were fewer births and a lower birth rate than in 1965. Although
the total number of inhabited houses increased by nearly 1,200. Neveiv
theless the Registrar General estimated that the total population diminished
by about the same figure. If accurate these differences are too small
to be noticeable in relation to housing needs, but it would be a welcomed
trend in the right direction of having more houses available for fewer
people. Infant mortality rates are liable to annual fluctuations, which are
not statistically significant. The somewhat high figure for 1965 is offset
by an excellent low record return for 1966. This should give encouragement
to the Maternity and Infant Welfare services, sorely beset by
staffing shortages. There was once again not a single death of a mother
in childbirth, but one death was associated with pregnancy. It was recorded
by the Coroner as due to haemorrhage from the spontaneous rupture
at about the sixth week of pregnancy, of an extopic gestation. There was
a similar occurence in the County Borough in 1963. This unusual abnormality
may cause sudden death or give great diagnostic difficulties.