London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Dagenham 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
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Deaths
The infant mortality rate stands at 18.01 per 1,000 live births, which is
less than the national rate of 20.9 per 1,000 live births. This shows a reduction
from the rate for 1962 (21.6l), but is still above the exceptionally low
figure of 16.76 recorded in 1957. As is usual, the mortality rate among
illegitimate infants is greater than the rate for legitimate children.
The causes of death are set out in the following tables-
| Cause of Death | Under 1 wk. | 1-2 wks. | 2-3 wks. | 3-4 wks. | Total under 4 wks. | 4 wks. and under 5 mo. | 3 mo. and under 6 mo. | 6 mo. and under 9 mo. | 9 mo. and under 1 yr. | Total deaths under 1 yr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prematurity | 8 | - | - | - | 8 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| Prematurity with associated cause | 4 | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| Congenital abnormality | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Birth trauma | 3 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Bronchopneumonia | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 3 | - | - | 4 |
| Bronchitis | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| Gastro- enteritis | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Pyelitis | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
Among the population as a whole the principal causes of death were as follows :-
| Heart disease (all forms) | 297 deaths |
| Cancer (including leukaemia) | 240 „ |
| Vascular lesions of nervous system | 91 „ |
| Bronchitis | 111 „ |
| Pneumonia | 59 „ |
The number of deaths due to heart disease was similar to the number (300)
recorded the previous year. The majority of deaths in this group are caused by
coronary disease and angina.
The commonest form of cancer causing death was lung cancer, whose toll
increases relentlessly from year to year. This year's total of 74 deaths is the
highest ever recorded in the borough.
Deaths due to bronchitis amounted to 111, which is a large increase over
the total of 69 in 1962. The increased number of deaths from this cause
occurred in the earlier months of the year, mainly during the prolonged period
of very cold weather.
There was one maternal death, the first recorded in the borough since 1958.
The adjusted death rate was 13.56 per 1,000 of the population, compared
with 12.2 per 1,000 for England and Wales.
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