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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 1969
To the Chairman and Members of the Health Committee
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN)
In accordance with statutory requirements I present this Report for
1969 on the health of the residents of the London Borough of Croydon,
and comment on a few of the matters covered later in greater detail.
Statistics
The birth rate was very slightly lower than in 1968, and the general
and infant mortality rates much reduced. There was no death of a mother
in childbirth but 1 death from abortion. This was self-induced and there
had been no application for a therapeutic termination. The percentage of
illegitimate births rose from 9.8 last year to a record high figure of 11.
Deaths from cancer of the lungs and bronchus rose for both men and
women, and were the most prevalent form amongst ail deaths from cancer.
A less sombre observation is that marriages of persons under 21 registered
in 1969 reversed the trend of previous years and fell from 24% in 1968 to
20%. Whettier this was merely deferment pending a change in the law will
be shown next year.
Health Centres
The adaptations at the Parkway Clinic, New Addington, were deferred,
despite the receipt of acceptable tenders, because agreement on charges
had not been concluded. Reports by other Authorities show that this is not