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6
of Crayford and a Food Traders Guild has been formed for
the combined area. Codes of practice are being adopted and
arrangements are afoot for a further exhibition, film shows,
public lectures, etc. to stimulate public interest in this matter.
The Vital Statistics of the Borough are generally satisfactory.
The birth rate for 1949 was 17.00 as compared with
18.96 in 1948 and 22.6 per 1,000 population in 1947.
The death rate in 1949 was 9.95 compared with 9.9 in
1948 and compared with a rate of 11.7 per 1,000 population
for the Country as a whole. This year for the first time since
the commencement of World War II the Registrar General
has supplied an area comparability factor for securing comparison
between death rates of the different districts. This
figure which is 1.08 for the Borough of Erith gives a corrected
death rate of 10.75.
There was an excess of live births over deaths of 330 during
the year.
Deaths from heart disease and cancer again increased as
compared with the previous year. The number of infants
dying in the first year of life was 19 compared with 20 in 1948.
Although this was a reduction of 1 in the actual deaths, the
infantile mortality rate of 1949 was higher than that for 1948,
being 23.9 per 1,000 live births compared with 22.8 in 1948. This'
would be accounted for by the fact that there were fewer live
births in 1949 than in 1948, 795 compared with 877. Although
the rate for the Borough of Erith is higher this year than last it
is still below that for the Country as a whole, 23.9 compared
with 32 per 1,000 live births for England and Wales. Theinfant
mortality rate for the Borough is nevertheless still one of the
lowest on record.
In conclusion, I wish to thank the Council for their
support and encouragement during the year. My thanks are
also due to the Senior Sanitary Inspector, the Chief Clerk, and
all members of the Health Department for their loyal help
and devotion to duty at all times.
I am,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
JOHN LANDON,
Medical Officer of Health.