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Of the 42 children, 33 died before reaching the age of 1 month, giving a neonatal
mortality rate of 17.21 per 1,000 live births compared with 16.5 for England
and Wales.
Maternal Mortality.
For the second year in succession, I am pleased to report that no mother died
as the result of childbirth.
Deaths from Cancer of the Lung and Bronchus.
The number of deaths from cancer of the lung and bronchus has again increased.
At the 1958 Health Congress the Minister of Health, in his presidential address,
said "the Medical Research Council have established as reasonable, a connection
between smoking, particularly heavy smoking of cigarettes, and cancer of the lung.
As with any other hazard to health which can be avoided by personal action, it
becomes a part of the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and the local health
authorities to make the public aware of the hazards and what can be done to avoid
them."
During the year in Hendon 61 men and 13 women died from this cause, 42 of whom
were under 65 years of age. An increase of four compared with the previous year.
INVESTIGATION OF SMOKING IN YOUTH CLUBS.
An investigation was carried out into the smoking habits of a sample of members
of certain youth clubs in Hendon. The following questions were asked:-
1. Have you ever smoked?
2. If you smoke, how many cigarettes do you smoke per week, or do you smoke
tobacco in any other form?
3. Have you heard about the risks to health of cigarette smoking?
4. What was the nature of this risk, and where did you learn about it.
The results of the findings have been recorded in the table attached. 134
returned satisfactory answers to the questions, and there were 12 spoiled papers,
most of which had omitted one or other of the answers.
The survey revealed that only 3 out of the 134 persons in the age groups 14-21
who were questioned were unaware of the possibility that cancer could follow cigarette
smoking. In spite of this knowledge there was a large number of cigarette smokers,
but three pipe smokers were discovered at the St. Michael and All Angels Youth Club
at Mill Hill. (Details on page 18).
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