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CHAPTER T.
VITAL STATISTICS.
1. The population of the Borough mid-1947 was estimated
by the Registrar-General to be 132,870. In .1931 (the last eensii9
date) the population of the two districts, Wembley and Kingsbury,
was 65,197; in '1937 the population had become 114,700,
while the last (December, 11947) estimate of the Registrar-General
is that the population is 134,390. Wembley is the fifth largest
County district in Middlesex, those of greater population being
according to size—Harrow, Ealing, Willesden and Hendon.
2. In 1947, 2,279 live births were recorded, giving a birth
rate of 17.15 per thousand; this is the largest number of births so
far recorded to Wembley. The number of deaths was 1,124
giving a crude death rate of 8.46 per thousand estimated population.
The infantile mortality rate was exceedingly low, the death
rate of infants per thousand live births being the record one of
23.26, the previously lowest figure having been 26.37 in 1946. In
the five years 1933-1937 the infantile mortality rate was in the
neighbourhood of 40, tending to exceed 40 (largest rate 193645.14,
smallest rate 1935—34.26). The corresponding figures for
the five years 1943-1947 were consistently under 37, the largest
being in 1943—37.17, the smallest this year (1947)—23.26. The
maternal mortality rate per thousand live Ibirths was 1.32. In
the five years 1933-11937 the maternal mortality rate was averaging
just over 2, largest rate 1933—5.85, smallest rate 193'5—0.0. In
the five years 1943-1947 the maternal mortality rate was 1.19;
highest figure 1943—2.35, lowest figure 1946—0.45. Judged by
such criteria then, the services provided by the Borough have
proved themselves.
3. Prematurity of 'birth was again the main cause of the
deaths is very young infants. Regarding the figures submitted in
the statistics on infantile mortality and on survival of premature
infants, it has to be pointed out that the figures in the former
table are those regarding births to Wembley residents whether
the birth took place in Wembley or elsewhere, whereas the figures
relating to survival of premature infants at the end of 24 hours
and at the end of a month are only of births taking place within
the Borough boundary. Much consideration is being given to
the problem of prematurity and the possibility of saving premature
births at the present time, and from the Wembley figures
it is obvious that attack on this problem is now practically the
only way one may expect a decrease in infant mortality rates in
the Borough.
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