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4
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Erith
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for
the year 1962 which has been prepared on the lines set out
in Circular 1/62 of the Ministry of Health.
The Registrar General's estimate of the mid-year population
is 45,300 (45,050 in 1961).
The vital statistics supplied annually by the General
Register Office indicate that the general trend of the health
of the Borough remained satisfactory. The standardised death
rate, which allows of comparisons with other areas, was 11.82
per 1,000 of the home population (13.48 in 1961) compared
with 11.9 for England and Wales. The standardised birth rate
was 17.52 per 1,000 home population (15.62 in 1961) compared
with a rate of 18.0 for the country as a whole. The
number of infants who died during the first year of life was
8 (10 in 1961) giving an infant mortality rate of 10.18 per
1,000 live births (14.35 in 1961) compared with 21.6 per 1,000
for England and Wales. This is the lowest rate ever recorded
in the Borough.
For the fourth successive year there was no maternal
death associated with childbirth. Considering that during the
past four years there were 2,892 births in the Borough it may
be said that the antenatal and obstetric services in the area
have worked to a high standard of efficiency. Further, the
stillbirth rate per 1,000 total (live and still) births fell to
15.04 (compared with 28.03, 29.65, 26.84, and 18.98 in the
previous four years).
The number of illegitimate births rose again to 37 compared
with 31, 33, 28, 19, 19, 22, 23, 19 and 24 in the previous
nine years.
Deaths from cancer of the lung numbered 26 (28 in
1961).
For the thirteenth year in succession there was no case
of diphtheria in the Borough and no case of poliomyelitis
in the year under review.