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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 1972
To the Chairman and Members of the Health and Public Services Control
Committee
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
This statutory report for the year 1972 follows the usual pattern and provides
a mainly statistical record for the year under review.
Statistics
In comparison with the previous year the number of births fell by 8.6%,
in line with the national trend. This reflects the change in public opinion and
the greater availability of Family Planning services. The percentage of illegitimate
births (10) was the same as last year. There were two deaths associated
with childbirth, and the routine reports made to the Department of Health indicated
that neither could have been anticipated or prevented. The general death
rate was raised by a winter outbreak of influenza, increasing fatalities amongst
the elderly and debilitated members of the community. It partly explains a considerable
rise in deaths from lung cancer, which amongst men reached the
highest level of recent years.