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3.
and 26.4 for London). But even this total of 13 deaths includes at
least 3 which are capable of being prevented in the light of modern
science, namely injury at birth (2) and haemolytic disease of the
newborn (1), if antenatal attendance is all it should be. Without these
3 deaths, the neonatals would have consisted only of two from prematurity
and one from congenital malformation!! I Stranger still, of the
55 illegitimate births, not a single one died.
There was unfortunately one maternal death, but as this was the
result of a self-induced abortion, it was a type which could equally
occur in any part of the country.
On the whole, the general death rate is very similar to that of the
seaside resorts - partly for the same reason that there is an excess of
old people (our own actual register - which of course cannot be
comprehensive - contains details of nearly 3000 old age pensioners).
More than one-third of all deaths were over 75 years old and another onethird
over 65.
On the causes of death, Shoreditch had comparatively few from
coronary disease, and angina pectoris, but has lagged behind the seaside
resorts chiefly with conditions associated with the lungs, such as
pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, and malignant new growths of the lung.
While this is to be expected, of course, there is still ample scope for
a reduction of dust in this Borough - not by the Cleansing Department,
but by the citizens. It is impossible for the pavements to be washed
regularly as the gutters are, so that if the litter baskets and gutters
are not used for cast-off rubbish, sputum and so forth, these undesirable
substances are powdered and breathed in by everyone. The filthy habit of
spitting on the pavement is still very prevalent, especially round the
pubs, and can cause much disease. If spitting is necessary at all, it
is surely not too much trouble to reach a gutter or gully. One little
back-street pub sweeps its pavement with strong antiseptic every morning,
and that is a help, but it is time that fines were incurred on the spot,
not only for jay-walking, but even more so for "jay-spitting".
The number of notifications of pulmonary tuberculosis has increased
since 1950, but the death rate has continued to fall, being now 0.35 per
1,000 population, consisting of 11 males and 5 females. The nonpulmonary
notifications and deaths were the lowest ever, only 10 being
notified (0.16 per 1,000) and not a single person having died from this
type (our perfect milk supplies should help to keep this figure low in
future, especially now that London is a "designated area" where all
milk must be either pasteurised or sterilised).
Infectious diseases caused no deaths again this year, although the
amount of measles was trebled compared with 1950, and a wave of Sonne
dysentery (since subsided) passed over the Borough. Only 2 cases of
poliomyelitis were notified and in neither instance was it possible to
trace contact with another case. The one case of diphtheria, was a child