View report page

STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
Forty-six per cent of all deaths, 551 males and 897 females, were of persons
aged 75 years or more. Thirty per cent, i.e. 302 males and 641 females, were
of persons aged 80 years or more. Nine males and 34 females were aged 95
years or more including five females, two aged 100 years and three aged 101
years.
There was one death arising from abortion.
Deaths of infants
During the year there were 57 deaths of infants under the age of one year,
of which 38 were under the age of four weeks and 31 under the age of one
week. The Infant Mortality Rate for the borough was 14.9 compared with
18.0 for England and Wales.
Most of the deaths of children under the age of four weeks were due to
congenital anomalies, birth injury and difficult birth, whereas most of those
over the age of four weeks were due to pneumonia and other diseases of the
respiratory system.
Fatal Accidents
During the year under review, 26 (18 male, eight female) Enfield residents
died as a result of motor vehicle accidents, and 41 (20 male, 21 female) from
other accidents. A surprising number of deaths continues to occur from
accidents in the home. In addition there was the depressing figure of 22
(eight male, 14 female) deaths from suicide.
Inquests
Ninety inquests and 518 post-mortem examinations without inquests were
held during the year.
In respect of inquests, six deaths were attributed to natural causes, 53 to
accidental causes or misadventure, 22 to suicide, one to manslaughter, and in
eight cases an open verdict was recorded.
Road Accidents
The Borough Engineer and Surveyor has kindly provided statistics, and the
following report and opinion on road accidents which occurred in the
Borough:
"The number of persons injured on the roads of the Borough during 1971
totalled 2,026, a reduction of 29 on the previous year. Whilst a reduction is
a step in the right direction, a closer look at the statistics reveals some
disturbing features.
Despite an overall reduction there were increases in the following categories:-
(i) Serious and fatal casualties have risen to 323, an increase of 18%
on the 1970 figure;
(ii) Casualties to children have risen by 10%;
(iii) Casualties to the elderly have risen by 4½%.
It is difficult to generalise on the increasing numbers of serious and fatal
injuries but factors include the following - the increasing density of vehicles
on the highway, the inability due to financial limitations of improving the
road network to deal safely with this increased density, the failure of many
motorists to observe the Highway Code and the law.
There appears to be a general unwillingness by society, to judge by some
Court decisions and press articles, to accept the seriousness of driver
responsibility in fatal accidents.
10