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MORTALITY
General Mortality and Death-rate.
The nett number of deaths accredited to this district was 809,
4 less than in 1954.
So far as can be ascertained, there are no factors operating
in Southgate which have an appreciable effect on the death rate,
particularly in regard to specific causes of death. One must
exclude, of course, such controversial contributory causes as pollution
of the atmosphere by the various types of impurity to which
town dwellers are systematically subjected. Atmospheric pollution,
however, is not so heavy in Southgate as in many neighbouring
districts. That does not mean, of course, that we should not take
all possible steps to deal with this possible cause of morbidity and
mortality, whether the offending agent be a factory chimney, household
chimneys or road transport. There can be little doubt that
this subject will have to be tackled on a national scale in the
foreseeable future, more especially in such an enormous, sprawling
metropolis as Greater London. In the meantime, it does not appear
practicable to take any steps in Southgate itself which might minimise
these dangers, although the question of our housing estates
and the emission of smoke from domestic chimneys is one which
might well repay more careful study. If, of course, a smokeless
zone were to be considered for a workable portion of North
London, Southgate might then be able to make its contribution.
The other causes of death to which reference is so often
made—diseases of the heart and lung cancer—are again national
rather than local problems. I have personally tried to bring these
problems to the notice of Southgate residents by articles and talks.
I do not consider that anything more need, meantime, be done
locally, although it may not be long before special clinics to deal
with such problems, particularly in middle-aged males, become not
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